SHADOW II: NAUGHT'S REVENGE
by ShadowTeam
Summary: Shadow joins the forces of the Kanto Army alongside Light, Bolt, and Master Ash Ketchum in decisive battles against the waning Team Rocket. Dark and twisted foes abound, as old enemies return for another chance at drowning the world in chaos...Chpt 16 UP!
1. Prologue: Memories

Here's the prologue, people! Remember, it may be shorter than actual chapters, but it's just as important as them. Think of this as the confirmation that Shadow II has begun!

Prologue: Memories

September 3, 2061 7:10 p.m.

To think, just five years ago he was just another new soldier…

Another defender of his homeland, another man who just wanted it all to end…

But now here he was, a member of the Kanto Army Marines, a hardened warrior with what had become the clean ability of those known only as…

Snipers.

Sure, he hadn't see the captain for a while, maybe only once since he had appeared out of nowhere in his first battle. But now this man did not need to be saved. At one time he was the prey of the snipers…

Now he was one himself, crawling slowly on his chest with foliage-like material wrapped all over his body to make him look like a living tree. He had been a pseudo-farmer before this time, but then he had only gotten experience with the old shotgun he had that was used to keep stray Pokémon off his father's property. Being the man he was, he never fired directly at them, mostly just up in the air. That usually told them to move along, anyway. Now that he had been trained in the deadly art of the sharpshooter, he could practically pull off shooting a playing card in half through the thin edge like Annie Oakley could, almost every time.

To his side was his Umbreon, a friend he had met during that battle when he used the heavy machine gun he was using to mow down Rocket soldiers who were shooting at it. Ever since then, she had followed him, everywhere he went…

Even in these missions, telling him where hidden enemies were. At the moment, she was giving him a soft, repeated 'Bre!'

Nodding back, he grasped the cold, black metal of the sniper rifle that had been dragging along on his side. Only once did he reach forward and bring back the bolt, revealing that this particular rifle was one of the few in the Kanto Army that still used actual bullets instead of laser charges.

The scope just slightly protruded out of the other end of the bush in front of him. Yes, he was on top of a small hill, allowing him to see over the heads of many of the bushes in front of him. Within the second, he spotted a small group of black-garbed Rocket grunts sifting through the bushes ahead, slowly making their way towards where he was with their AK-159s all upright, stocks pressed against their shoulders. A lone Arcanine with a black leather collar walked along with one of them, sniffing in the air.

He could feel both his and his Umbreon's breaths nearly cease, his aim steadying over the Arcanine. It could be very catastrophic if it alerted its allies to their presence. As soon as his crosshairs steadied over the fire dog's nose bridge, he pulled the trigger.

The Arcanine's head snapped upward, it's eyes rolling back into its head as it collapsed onto the ground with a bloody hole between its eyes. A second shot issued out from the rifle's muzzle, aimed toward the dead Arcanine's alarmed handler.

_Heh. His head might as well have exploded… _He thought as he quickly turned his deadly aim towards the next grunt on the left before the other's corpse had even hit the ground. The grunt was aiming towards where the sniper was, obviously seeing where the bullets had come from despite the silencer. Before he could fire, our sniper pulled the trigger of his own weapon once more, this time actually seeing the .300 bullet take a stream of blood with it as it ripped through the man's head.

By this time the remaining grunt had ducked into the bushes. Looking around through his scope, the sniper whispered to the Umbreon at his side. "Where is he, girl?"

The Umbreon's sharp gaze swept through the bushes ahead of them, the man following her head movements with his scope. Within a few seconds, her view stopped on a particular bush.

(There.) She whispered softly in her own language, lifting her paw slightly to point. Adjusting his view, he could just barely see the edge of the grunt's helmet poking out slightly from the side of the bush.

"Goodnight."

Again the rifle pressed back on his shoulder, the tell-tale blood spray flying up from the bush. Slowly, he rose from his position, moving towards the fallen grunt with the Umbreon at his side.

The butt of his rifle supported him as he kneeled on the ground, looking over the dead grunt. Dark scarlet stained the grass beneath his head, and behind him splattered onto a tree with a hole showed where the bullet had pierced into the bark. Briefly, he patted down the grunt, his Umbreon keeping watch.

"They were definitely from Shock Squadron, no doubt. Heck, these guys are only from the tenth detachment, but still…we would've had a huge problem if that Arcanine had spotted us earlier…"

He slid the pistol out from the grunt's side, looking it over it for a few seconds as he spun it around in his hand. "A 1911…probably antique by now…too bad that they still haven't figured out how to make pistols that fire lasers without having to weigh five pounds…"

Looking at it further, he smiled, taking out his own, heavy pistol and placing it on the ground, holstering the 1911 instead while further patting down the grunt, eventually discovering three clips for the weapon and putting them in the pouch on his side. He got into a low standing position, head bent down with his head barely poking above the bushes.

"Well, enough treasure hunting…Umbreon, let's go."

(I'm coming.) She spoke, following him as he took his rifle in his hands, looking ahead with the scope up to his right eye once again…

…

_Hmph. Too bad we're out of those Oran berries…_

Shadow looked up to the wide, blue sky overhead that was crowded with treetops. (So…how long until we get to wherever we're going?)

(Don't be impatient…the place we're going to be going through is a pretty dangerous place, you know. The last I heard, Team Rocket's Shock Squadron was doing operations in the area.) Came the answer from the older Pikachu, who was leading the trio.

(Yeah...I know, I was considered to be in Shock Squadron, to be exact cell Black-25. I only went on group attacks maybe three times…)

The female Raichu to his left shivered a bit with a shudder accompanying it. (The one I went on with you…that had to have been the one time where I would've blown my cover, Shadow. They were just…just…)

She noticed the stern gaze turned to her from Shadow. (Don't talk about it…)

_["Mmph!" One of the tied-up captives cried from under the duct tape holding his mouth shut, a blindfold wrapped around his eyes, much the same as several others tied up in a line next to him. Behind him, three Rocket grunts in black military coats and black helmets stood, their faces covered by what looked like twin-cylinder gas masks with their eye lenses lit up in an eerie orange-yellow glow. Behind them, Shadow and Light watched as the grunt raised his AK-159 and viciously kicked the kneeling man to the cold ground. Shadow glanced to an unevolved Light, who had her paws to her mouth in fright. _

_The silent Shock Squadron soldier held his gun up with one hand and pulled the trigger. His gun rattled in his grip, letting off a short burst of lasers into the helpless captive's head. Scarlet splashed on the ground next to him as he proceeded to the next captive, who was wriggling and writhing, obviously knowing what was going to happen. _

_(Why…why are they doing this?) Light asked urgently, completely shocked at the merciless executions happening in front of them. Shadow himself felt sick to his stomach, having extreme difficulty trying to keep his cool as the bloodthirsty grunt blew the brains out of another captive's head…]_

(…That was one of the few things I didn't like to do in Team Rocket then…go on a mission with the rest of the Shock Squadron…)

Exhaling, Bolt looked ahead with a slight glare on his features, as if trying to warn anything ahead to stay out of the way. He shook his head. (Let's…stop talking about them. I hate the very mention of 'Shock Squadron'.)

(Something personal?) Shadow asked, already knowing the answer.

(VERY personal…they're the ones who carried out the attack on Pallet Town.)

…

Soon the sky overhead had darkened into a deep blue. The silhouettes of clouds could be seen against the light of the moon in the heavens, passing through its bright, magnificent glow. Different shades of grey drifted across the ground, illuminating or darkening the carpet of green beneath their paws.

Bolt stopped, looking up to the crescent floating in the sky. Looking around, he turned around to Shadow and Light. (We'll stop here for the night…and I advise you two to get a good amount of sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a little hectic.)

Shadow looked to Light with an assuring look before looking back to Bolt, crossing his arms with a sigh. (Great. This is going to be fun, isn't it?)

(Heh. Hardly. Like I said earlier, the Shock Squadron is doing operations in the area we're going to be heading through tomorrow. I'm sure that you just how dangerous they can be.)

(…Bolt, just which detachment of the Shock Squadron is there anyway? Please say it's just the tenth group…) Light said quietly, sounding a little nervous.

(Don't worry, there's no way that they could take all of us…besides Light, last time I checked the maps, it said that right now it would be the tenth in this area.) Shadow answered for him. A slight gust of wind blanketed them in a small chill as Bolt walked towards a large, tall tree, looking up into its branches in the dim light of the moon. Peering through the wood drooping down from the main canopy, Bolt was able to see twin hollows in the bark, both seemingly big enough to house one of them. The hollows were high enough to where they both just barely poked above the rest of the treetops as well.

(There's two holes in this tree…Shadow, Light, you two can sleep there. I'll rest on the ground.)

(Okay. I guess I'm going to get some sleep then, I'll see you tomorrow.) Shadow said with a great monotone in his voice. His paws raked the grass beneath him as he walked past Bolt without a word and jumped up, grabbing onto the bark. Below him Bolt motioned to Light with a nod to his head before stepping to the side of the tree and lying down in the underlying green.

Shadow climbed into the topmost hole, nestling amongst the strands of dead grass and dust that seemed to have accumulated inside.

His nose twitched slightly, catching the wavering odor of another Pokémon that had been in there maybe a week or so ago. A slight thumping occurred from below as Light climbed into her own hollow. Looking out as he lowered himself onto his chest, he saw the stars begin to set in. They were a crowd of fireflies hovering high above the earth, over the vast ocean of treetops in the forest.

Silence ensued, all except the sound of his own breathing. Time passed as he just stared up at the mystic dots across the great dark horizon, going on and on with each passing and lingering thought he had.

Would he really be accepted with open arms? Or would they toss him into a prison for the crimes he had committed against them?

…Was it all really worth it?

_Maybe…_

He turned his eyes down towards the trunk of the tree. It seemed that he was not the only one who was still awake; Bolt was sitting there at the foot of the tree, also staring up into the deep, deep dark blue above, eyes half open and his ears pointing directly horizontal from his furred yellow head.

Below him he could hear the gentle sound of Light breathing in and out in slumber. Other than her, they were awake.

(You can't sleep either, Shadow?)

(No. There are just too many things on my mind right now…what about you?) Shadow asked as a low gust carried his ear to the side slightly.

(Much of the same thing. This is just one of the few times I have where I can just think, after all. There's nothing to disturb me while I think over everything. It's quiet out here…it's just perfect.)

Shadow jumped out of the hollow and landed on all fours absorb the impact, landing next to Bolt. Sitting up on two legs, Shadow gestured with his paw. (So what are you thinking about, exactly?)

Bolt rolled his head on his shoulders, staying silent as he looked back up to the stars.

After a minute or two, he shook his head. (I was just wondering how things would be…if I had actually managed to save my parents…and if I had managed to stop my brother from sacrificing himself to defeat Marxus back then…)

(Your brother beat Marxus? Then how come he was still alive?) Shadow asked, confused.

(My brother…had managed to do the rest after my parents had failed to beat him. He was just as powerful as you, Shadow…but he fell…)

A dark streak caressed his red cheek as he continued his story: (He…he enveloped himself in dark energy…he completely let himself be shrouded in the dark power, all so that he could save the rest of us, like myself, Raisen and Raika…and his mate…so that he could try to destroy Marxus himself…)

…

_[Dark energy flowed all over his brother. The small claws on his paws had grown out into talons, with black energy jutting out from them that formed into sickle-like protrusions. Bolt, battered and bruised from the start of the fighting in Pallet, watched in awe as his younger brother turned towards him from across the field one last time with the trusting smile he usually gave Bolt adorning his face, somewhat twisted from the vampire-like canines sticking out in front of his teeth and the scarlet red eyes that shrouded the reddish-hazel underneath. His fur even appeared to be turning from the yellow into jet black and back every second. Pulse turned to the female just a few yards from him. Their eyes locked. _

_(Pulse, please don't go!) She cried. He frowned, walking up to her and placing his paw upon her shoulder. The edges of her eyes were already moist with tears at what he had already done; taken in the dark energy. _

_(This power is amazing…I can feel its energy exploding within me like infinite strength…)_

_(Pulse, you fool! It will overtake you!) Bolt yelled out, disbelieving every moment of this, disbelieving the dark aura that surrounded his brother. (Don't do this!) _

_(I have to, brother! Mother and father are dying, and I can't let Marxus kill them!) Pulse retorted as the energy flared up around him. He looked to his mate, sliding his paw from his shoulder and wrapping it around her waist in an embrace, which she tearfully returned._

_He held her head in his paw. (…I love you as much as I love my own family…and I would do anything to save you all. The only chance I have of defeating him is if I also die in the process. Even if I don't, I'll lose all memories…of you, my family, everything, because of this power…) _

_(…But I have to take that risk…) Pulse said as he backed away from her, even while she reached out to him. Bolt began a slow walk, finally breaking into a run at him. _

_(…You might never see me again…and our child may never know who his father was…)_

_(Pulse…!) She whispered, eyes widening as he looked over his shoulder to the storm. _

_(…But this is the only way. If it'll save you all from dying by his hand…)_

_(…Then I'm not afraid to die for you!)_

_Before Bolt could call out to him, Pulse turned back towards where the great, dark pillar of black rose towards the sky, taking off towards it at the speed of sound and leaving his mate behind to scream his name in anguish…]_

…

(…and he…died?) Shadow asked, awed by the tale. Bolt sniffled once, then looked to Shadow with the gaze of a weary old man. (I…never saw him again. All I found…was a small pool of blood and ravaged forest all around, along with my parent's bodies lying next to each other, holding the other's paw. His mate had run after him into the forest as well, but I never saw her again either…to tell you the truth, I could've sworn that Light was her when I first met her, but she didn't know a thing about my brother…)

His ears lowered to the sides of his head, looking up to the stars again. (…Shadow, don't ever let the darkness overtake you. Never surrender yourself to it...or else…)

(…you may just disappear, like my brother did…)

Bolt faced Shadow, a stern look on his maw. (Promise me that: you will never embrace your dark power like that.)

Shadow himself glanced up to the sky, then to the tree he had been in, noticing Light's lightning-bolt tail hanging out of her hollow.

(I Promise…)

(For you, and for Light…I promise.)


	2. Chpt I: Contact

Chapter I: Contact

September 4, 2061 6:42 a.m.

"HA HA!"

The human in front of the remaining prisoners was monstrous, his bones and muscle expanded to unbelievable proportions. Before the mutant was a small pile of brutalized and broken bodies, three humans and four Pokémon. They stared, shivering in fear of the ten-foot tall behemoth before them, his clothes burnt and ripped from his mutation. The pupils of his eyes had begun to glow an eerie orange, and the nails on both his feet and hands at sharpened into short, bony talons.

His shadow loomed over them both, much like the broken old man who was watching from the glass window far above. Through oval glasses he watched as the giant roared triumphantly, grabbing one of the unfortunate men and swinging him violently around himself. A horrifying scream issued from the man with each revolution around the muscled mutant's head before he was viciously slammed into the ground.

The old man was sitting in a wheelchair with a blood packet hanging from a hook to the left of the chair. Half of his face was covered in bandages, while his lower body was covered in bandages holding tubes in place, some tubes transferring fluid into him.

"AH HA HA HA! I snap you!" The mutant yelled into the paled face of the last man. From above, the old man smiled as he heard the unfortunate man scream in agony as the giant grabbed him by his arms and legs, literally tearing him into two…

_I've done it…_

_The Strength Evolving-Enhanced Drug is nearly ready. I'm sure this 'SEED' will plant and grow a whole new meaning of terror in the hearts of Kanto soldiers. The more recent tests have proved excellent…almost no problems in humans. Muscle mass is no longer distorted beyond the growth of the bone and flesh structure, nor are the subjects completely losing their sanity now, though some intelligence seems to be lost, varying with each subject._

_Sad to say that I haven't perfected the drug with Pokémon subjects…no matter how stable the structure of their body grows, they lose their minds. I understand that this would occur with the less…up-to-task guinea pigs whose overgrowth of bone ruptures through their tissues or if their muscle literally crushes their bones…but still, the pitiful things can never take the psychological effect._

_Hmph. I suppose I'll have to adapt the serum for these…uncooperative Pokémon._

_On the subject of other matters, it's too bad for Marxus and Zero…I would believe that Shadow could've defeated Zero, but to have defeated Marxus…_

_I suppose that the dark enhancements Xepher gave him were very effective after all, curse him. I should've made the creature even stronger. This is an embarrassment to me to have had Xepher's creation defeat my own…When I find that pitiful excuse for a scientist, I am going to choke the very life out of him, and his last word shall be…_

'_Namba'._

…

A dim ray of sunlight lit up his eyelids. Opening his eyes, Shadow caught the bright disk beginning its rise over the horizon.

…_Time to wake up._

Immediately, Shadow got up on all fours, arching his back in a stretch before looking out to the ground below. With a look up to the sun peeking over the horizon, he dove out of the tree hollow.

A thump sounded under his feet upon landing, with a brushing sound issuing from the grass as well. Looking behind, he noticed a matted down spot in the grass by the tree; it seemed that Bolt was already up.

(Where is he…)

(Up here.)

Among the higher tree limbs, Bolt was sitting on one that was poking slightly out of the treetop. The branch shifted as he leapt off. In a second, he had landed on the ground with a small grunt, followed by him shaking out his head. (It's time, Shadow. Wake up Light so we can get moving.)

(Okay. I'll be back.) Shadow replied, swiftly jumping onto the rugged tree bark and climbing up, digging into it with his small claws to reach Light's hollow in the trunk. He avoided Light's tail hanging out of the hole, and poked his head into the hollow to see Light curled up peacefully, her furry white chest rising up and sown steadily.

Shadow raised his left paw while steadying himself with his tail on the side of the tree. Static lines zapped between two of his yellow digits. Gently, he poked her left cheek with the two digits.

A miniscule zap issued from her cheeks as his static collided with the built-up electricity stored in her cheeks, waking her from the slight, tickling sensation.

She yawned as a nearly-invisible streak of light blue electricity ran up her back from her tail. Upon it crossing through her ears, she rose up and stretched, sleepily blinking her eyes.

An earnest smile slowly formed on his face. (Good morning, Light.)

Hearing him, she gazed up at his face, exhaling calmly.

Again, those eyes of hers mesmerized him; he knew what…or rather, who was in there with her own mind, but still, he just could not resist the awing feeling of her brilliantly illuminated eyes.

Was it just the power within her, or was it because the other Light was watching him too?

On the other part of it, they showed to him her compassion for him: two great stars watching him, warming him in their embrace. Like the eyes of his guardian angel keeping away the deepest of his fears, allowing him to keep on going. Like the very power of his own bravery, fueled by her.

Her love for him.

(…Shadow, is something wrong?)

For a moment, Shadow was silent; in the next, he gasped from surprise, snapping out of the little trance he was in. Regaining his senses, he focused on her.

(…It's just time for us to get going, that's all. If we start early hopefully we can get past the Shock Squadron in the forest up ahead.)

Her reply was soft. (Okay.)

He looked back over his shoulder, nodding towards Bolt. In turn, Bolt nodded back as Shadow pushed off the tree with his hind legs, back flipping onto the ground next to Bolt.

A ray of sunlight pierced over the edge of a treetop behind them, signaling the continuing rise of the sun over the horizon. As Light jumped down from the tree, Shadow felt uneasy;

After all, it was the Shock Squadron they had to get through.

The most bloodthirsty group out there.

…

A sound like a muffled bang and a puffing sound issued from the bush, and in the same moment, a grunt had gone down with a scarlet river between his eyes.

"I see you, you son a bitch!" The other grunt yelled before unleashing laser shots from his AK-159 at the sniper's hiding position. Diving out of the way, the sniper pulled the trigger on his sniper rifle while in the dive.

Just as he did this, a screeching red laser hit the rifle out of his hands, flinging it far behind him while followed by more lasers that grazed over his back. At the same time, the bullet he had fired had torn a hole through the Shock Squadron soldier's weapon. With a grunt, he dropped the gun as it discharged random sparks and electricity began to run all over it.

A small but powerful explosion rocked the forest floor nearby. The sniper's Umbreon was apparently having trouble with this particular grunt's Magmar.

The sniper rushed the grunt before he could fully take out his pistol. Kicking the pistol from his hand, the sniper spun on his heel for a roundhouse kick.

To his disappointment, the grunt quickly ducked and threw his arm back. With the motion of his arm a hidden combat knife in his sleeve unsheathed, and the grunt gripped it backwards in his fist while jabbing.

"Sneaky!" The sniper spoke while jumping back and quickly ripping his own knife from its sheath on his side. The grunt flipped the blade forward in his hand as he swung, dashing across the snipers own blade when he countered.

Both made a successful grab for the other's knife. With another rock of the forest beyond, they struggled inch-for-inch over the knives.

"Hrrrgh!" Both seemed to growl, both of their grips unwavering. Suddenly, the Rocket grunt let go of the sniper's knife and slid to kick out his legs from under him.

"Augh!" The sniper grunted as he felt the grunt's blade cut a scar into his hand, whipping out of his grip with a small ribbon of blood behind it. Seeing the silver of the blade flash in the grunt's leather glove, the sniper rolled back onto his head to dodge a downward stab aimed at his chest, then powerfully kicked out both legs into the grunt's jaw.

The metal cleats on the heavy boots tore large gashes up his face, making him gasp in shock and pain while his body was tossed a few inches off the ground. Taking the split-second opportunity, the sniper seized the grunt's arm, pulling him down as his blade whistled in the air.

With a heavy, squelching sound, the sniper's combat knife lodged into the grunt's exposed neck.

"HaaHk! Uggh!" The grunt gargled beneath the blood surging from his jugular. In moments, his face paled into that of the corpse he was about to become. The sniper's breathing calmed as he ripped the knife from the neck of the grunt, allowing the dead man to fall into the pool of red at the sniper's feet.

Even with his opponent dead, the sniper still had the urge to kick the body. It really wouldn't fulfill anything, really; It was just an impulse, based on what he had heard these people had done.

"That's what you get for all those folks at Pallet Town. I knew some of those people." He spat at the corpse as if it was still alive to hear the spite in his voice.

Of course, he knew this Rocket wasn't from the same group that made the attack. That division of Shock Squadron wore gas masks with an orange-yellow glow to the eye holes. That was the 1st Division of the Shock Squadron, anyway.

In fact, he had never even heard of them speaking. When he had once gone on a sniping mission, they were there, only making gestures to each other from behind those ominous, deathly gas masks.

They seemed to be more or less creatures then men…

Still glaring at the body, he walked away toward the bush he was hiding behind earlier to find his sniper rifle. As soon as he got there, he scowled, muttering various obscenities under his breath; the actual rifle was fine, but the picatinny rail had gotten ripped up on the left side, and the scope on the top was destroyed. What remained of it was a burned-up and bent tube of metal with the glass completely shattered. He put his palm to his face.

Embarrassingly, he had forgotten to bring a second scope with him, which should have been instinct for a sniper like himself.

His hand dragged down from his face as he shook his head in frustration, beginning to strip the broken scope and rail off the rifle. Once this was done, he brought the bare weapon to his eye, looking through the iron sight. "Looks like I'll have to do this the old-fashioned way…"

(…Augh…finished here?)

"!" The sniper spun around as soon as he heard the sound of his Umbreon's somewhat pained voice behind him. She came walking from a few shrubs, a limp apparent in her left front leg. Looking closer, the sniper could see that it had second degree burns at the least.

"Come here. Let me see." He whispered to her, kneeling down and setting down his gun as she limped to a stop directly in front of him.

Indeed, just from the looks he could see that her leg did in fact suffer second degree burns. Blisters were forming on her skin where the fur was burned away, and small streams of blood were leaking from the burn.

"Okay, this'll sting a little." He spoke as he slipped his hand into his pack, taking out a can with a red cross superimposed over a flame on it. Slowly and painfully, she lifted her leg towards him as he aimed the nozzle at the scorched flesh.

(…Ahhh…Ahhh…)

The Umbreon moaned a little as the cool mist covered the burn, causing a rippling feeling of stinging and cold over her leg.

…

(It looks like we're closer than we thought…) Bolt said as he looked over dead rocket grunt with a hole through his head, his blood sprayed onto a tree behind him. Shadow and Light both looked at the small insignia on the grunt's uniform lapel.

(Shock Squadron, 10th Division…they're better than the usual Rocket grunts, but the best are the ones in the 1st and 2nd Divisions…) Shadow stated, taking a glance at the frozen look of shock on the corpse's face. (1st and 2nd Divisions are the one wearing those strange masks, right?) Bolt asked, noticing a large pistol near the grunt's holster on the side of his leg.

(Yeah…isn't that a Kanto Army pistol?)

(Yes, and from the scent on it whoever left it was just here maybe ten hours ago.)

Light crossed her front paws on her chest. (Shouldn't we find whoever left it so we can try to get back to Ash?)

Bolt nodded, raising the pistol to his nose and taking a few sniffs of it. Dropping the weapon into the grass, he sniffed into the air, Shadow and Light watching as he turned towards north.

(The scent's faint but I can smell it. We better hurry.)

(Right. Let's go, Shadow.) Light spoke, running after Bolt as he dashed forward.

(Hmph. Another adventure.) Shadow spoke to himself before running after them…

…

_Three hours later…_

(We're close, considering those corpses we passed a few minutes ago. From the way he's moving about, I'm pretty sure he's sniper.) Bolt commented while still running ahead, leaping over a low shrub.

Light and Shadow expertly jumped over the same bush. (He's got someone with him, right?)

(Correct. Smells like an Umbreon.)

_Hm. An Umbreon. _

One of the Pokémon he had actually yet to see was an Umbreon. Sure, he had seen them in pictures that had been taken by some Rocket operatives back when he was still with them, but he had never encountered one personally.

_There's always something new…_

The sound of footsteps up ahead made Shadow stop in his tracks along with Light and Bolt. They were slow, and many in number; maybe about three to four people.

Looking forward still, Bolt ran towards a tree and climbed up, motioning to Shadow and Light.

Silently, Light followed Bolt, using her tough nails to latch onto the bark of the tree and climb up behind Bolt. However, Shadow simply slid into the one of the bushes, looking out the other side to try to find the makers of the noise. Small arcs of static were already running over his bright red cheeks.

Sure enough, Rocket grunts with the same lapel insignias as the corpses from earlier were approaching with their weapons pointed forward. Two of them had Pokémon at their side, a Beedrill flying by one and a Wartortle with its shell painted black by the other. They were all ducked low in the bushes, as if they were looking for something…

A sound like a nearly-silent puff of air entered Shadow's ears. In the same second, he saw one of the grunts go down while the Beedrill next to him fell to the ground writhing in agony, the shot having gone through the grunt's head and into the Beedrill's abdomen.

_A bullet instead of a laser…_

"What the fu-!" One of the grunts yelled in alarm, getting picked off by another missile of flying lead before he managed to complete his sentence.

_Only Kanto Snipers use bullets!_

(Over there.) Bolt whispered to Light as he saw the end of a rifle poking out of a bush from afar. The man's face was visible, aiming not through a scope, but through the bare sights.

Taking notice of him, she saw his rifle swerve again to put another bullet through a grunt's head while he was turning. Meanwhile, the Wartortle had begun to creep towards him, all while the two remaining grunts began to fire several laser bolts in his direction.

_I should probably cut off that Wartortle…_

The bush split over Shadow as he quickly ran out from into another bush out of the view of the Shock Squadron grunts. Immediately he picked up the scent of the Wartortle, running in as fast as he could while disregarding the lasers that begun to zoom overhead.

(What…look, Shadow's going to try to take out the Wartortle!) Light spoke, her tail twitching nervously behind her.

Bolt sighed, looking from Shadow to the two grunts firing into the sniper's area. (If he's going to get the Wartortle, we might as well get the drop on these grunts…you take the closer one.)

At this time, the sniper had begun crawling away from the bush he had been behind, his Umbreon following suit next to him. Red beams continued to fly in, hitting trees and bushes around them.

A laser smacked into the grass between him and his Umbreon, causing both of them to flinch back. Part of his shoulder fabric and her fur had actually been burned off. "Shit…Umbreon, if your leg is okay now, try to go and sneak up behind them. If you take one out, I'll take out the other."

(Okay. I'll be ba-!)

Both of them reeled back in surprise as a wave of static hit them from beneath the bushes. The sniper immediately took his twitching finger off the trigger of his rifle, electricity making his body tremor. Between the chatter of his teeth he could see both of the grunts that were firing at him scream in agony as they were electrocuted by arcs of lightning from a tree behind them.

The sniper smiled at his Umbreon as he curved his finger around the trigger of his gun once more, aiming at the grunt on the left. "How lucky for us, it looks like some electric types hate Team Rocket."

The dampness on the Wartortle's neck dried up as soon as Shadow stopped his electricity. He stood behind it, feeling its body go limp before taking his paws off of its neck and letting it drop. A few more yards in front of him he could see a man in a ghillie suit with a Kanto Army patch rise and shoot two rounds into the grunts that were immobilized by Light and Bolt's electrical attacks.

_Found you._

Blood surrounded the bullet hole in the bark of the tree Light and Bolt were in, with the two dead grunts below them with looks of shock and pain etched into their faces.

Bolt spoke. (Let's go to that sniper, maybe he can lead us to an army camp.)

(Okay.)

The sniper wiped sweat from his brow; already he had been doing this for at least a week, and he was pretty sure that he had at least thirty kills at this point in time. Hopefully these electric types were actually from the army…

He spotted the Raichu and Pikachu drop down from the tree, landing to the side of the corpses. Scratching his head, he looked down to his Umbreon. "Doesn't look like they're with us, Umbreon…"

(I know…) She said wearily, feeling her stomach growl a little. Neither of them had eaten in days, considering how much they had to be moving around.

The Pikachu and the Raichu began to run towards him; in turn he looked to his rifle. Did he dare try and shoot one of them for a meal?

_No…they just helped me out; I can't do that and not feel like shit for doing it later._

Another Pikachu with a tuft of fur over its right eye approached from his front left. From what he could see, it was looking at him rather fiercely for one of its species. Astonishingly, he could see an unconscious Wartortle being dragged behind it towards him.

By now the other two 'Chus had stopped opposite the bush in front of him, faded marks of what looked like ink on their shoulders. In moments more, the other Pikachu had walked next to them, releasing the Wartortle's leg. The other Pikachu looked to him.

Bolt crossed his arms. (Why'd you bring the Wartortle, exactly?)

(It's still alive…I was just thinking he might get it interrogated somehow.)

Light looked to them both, then to the sniper looking down at them in curiosity. She stood on the tips of her hind toes and smiled. (Hello.)

"…Hello. Who are you exactly, just some wild 'Chus giving me and my friend here a hand?" The sniper replied, unknowing if he had actually responded correctly, considering he couldn't speak her language.

The Umbreon slid around the edge of the bush, sitting in front of them. Tilting her head, she caught Bolt's eye. (Don't I know you from somewhere?)

Thinking, Bolt hummed shortly. (If it helps, my name's Bolt.)

Curiously, Shadow saw the Umbreon look at Bolt with a look resembling shock. (Bolt…as in, Bolt…the Master's partner?)

(…That's me.) He replied nonchalantly, looking up to the sniper who was watching overhead.

Shadow could see the Umbreon's breathing rate increase slightly. From the widened eyes she had on Bolt, Shadow could tell that she seemed nervous.

(It's…It's good to meet you, Bolt. I never thought I'd actually see you with my own eyes…)

Shadow noticed her looking to himself and Light. (You're both are so lucky that you're able to travel with him…Are they learning from you?) She asked Bolt at the end of her sentence, looking straight at him with patient eyes.

Sweeping his view to them, Bolt could see Light just smile, while Shadow shrugged. (No, they're travelling with me is all. We're just wondering if there's somewhere around here where we could stay.)

(I'm not entirely sure…you could try asking my friend, but…) She spoke, looking up to the sniper with sad eyes.

"Is something wrong, Umbreon?" He whispered, crouching next to them with a pair of binoculars up to his eyes, carefully surveying the surrounding area.

Light looked to the pack that was somewhat visible beneath his camouflage. (He doesn't have a translator collar with him?)

(I'm afraid not. Unless one of you can speak human language, I'm not sure that we can help you.)

Of course, Shadow could.

He turned his view to Bolt, who was already returning with a combination of doubt and uneasiness. Shadow felt the same way, in fact; being the only talking Pikachu in the world as he knew it, it would be very detrimental to try speaking to the sniper. Considering he had been in Team Rocket, this made matters worse.

If this sniper knew about him in Team Rocket, he would probably try to shoot Shadow upon hearing him speak. On the other hand, there wasn't much else they could try…

He felt Light put her paw to his shoulder, assuring him. The Umbreon only gave them a slightly confused look. (Do you have a plan?)

At last, Bolt relented and nodded at Shadow. (…You could say that.)

Shadow cleared his throat to get the sniper's attention. As soon as he saw at least one eye turn down to him, he followed through:

"Is there anywhere around here where we could stay? Maybe where you two came from?"

Though she was just below his focus of view, Shadow could see the Umbreon blink several times, eyes wide as she drew her head back in surprise. Meanwhile, the sniper was more vocal, lowering his binoculars and staring at Shadow.

"You…you can talk?"

"Yeah. I didn't really want to, but I think I have no choice in the matter."

The sniper was taken aback even more by just how serious this Pikachu was. The Raichu on its left seemed friendly enough, and the other Pikachu also seemed pretty tranquil as well. However, this Pikachu just broke the rules about what a Pikachu's supposed to be like. He had always held in his mind that they were usually cheery little Pokémon, most of the time giving you some sort of cute smile…

This one was completely different. Not only could it TALK, but when it did it sounded more like the tone of one of his commanders when he was getting a briefing; definitely not like the happy, enthusiastic voices of what he thought all Pikachu sounded like when calm like him.

…_Just what I expected…_Shadow thought while waiting for the response from the man in front of them, who was silently chewing his lip under the forest-green balaclava covering his mouth.

…_He probably thinks that I'm a freak…My own fault though for talking._

"…It looks like I still have a lot to learn about the world…do you…happen to have a specific name? Mine's…well, really I can't say." The sniper began anew, looking over his shoulder as if trying to spot someone.

"I understand. You can't give your real name in a war, right? So what do they call you then?"

Another multitude of questions hit the sniper, among them how this Pikachu was talking, to even if he was somehow drugged and was hallucinating. Uneasily, he also remembered the stories he had heard about a talking Pikachu in Team Rocket, and they were NOT very moralizing stories from what they detailed. Either way, he answered.

"My codename's Sentinel…now, can I know your name?"

Nervously, Shadow shifted his hind paw in the grass. Obviously he couldn't tell him his real name, being that this sniper probably heard his name somewhere. At the same time, he was trying to rack his head with names.

At random, he remembered what Bolt had said to him in his parent's burrow:

His brother's name.

"My name's…Pulse." Shadow said as matter-of-factly as he could. From the corner of his eye he could see Bolt almost give him a sharp look with a puff of his chest, but it ended up just being a shake of his head.

Sentinel smiled, somewhat relieved. _At least this Pikachu's name isn't SHADOW…_

"Pulse, huh? I could've sworn you might've been another Pikachu I heard about…" Sentinel said as he quickly checked the bolt of his rifle, nodding to himself when he saw a bullet in the chamber upon pulling back the action. "Do your friends have names?"

"Of course. This Raichu here is my…dear friend Light." Shadow said while motioning back to her with his paw, Light responding with a nod to Sentinel. He shifted his other paw to Bolt. :And his name's Bolt."

"Okay then. You're Light, and you're Bolt, and you're Pulse." Sentinel said while pointing to each of them respectively, correctly identifying them.

"On another note, we want to know where we can go to get to a Kanto Base. We've got to get to one quick."

Sentinel shrugged, pointing over his shoulder. "The closest outpost is northeast of here, and we'd have to get through some more Shock Squadron soldiers. Anyhow, we were going to report back there soon. Would you like to come with me and Umbreon here?"

Bolt patted Shadow on the shoulder. Turning his head, Shadow saw Bolt give a nod of approval.

"That would be great. We're with you, Sentinel."

"Sentinel looked down to the silent Umbreon at his feet, giving her a light nudge with his boot. As she looked up at him, he pointed ahead. "Umbreon, take point."

(Okay.) She responded, getting up and passing by the three 'Chus, looking over all of them with a still sense of curiosity before turning around and beginning a relaxed walk forward, ear out to the sides while Sentinel followed, his rifle up again while Shadow, Light, and Bolt followed behind…

Sorry it's late, people. I've really got to get back into the mood with these. Either way, I'm sure I'll get back into the groove and make these chapters even better. Tell me what you thought of this one!


	3. Chpt II: Beyond the Front

I felt sped up this week. Thus, I'm able to get this out earlier for all of you. Please R&R.

Chapter II: Beyond the Front

September 6, 2061 5:22 p.m.

His binoculars dropped back to his chest. "Targets entering at 11 o'clock, approximately 300 meters away! It's a force of about fifty!" Sentinel spoke hurriedly into his radio, taking his finger off the transmitter on his head as he took another quick shot. The bullet flew into yet another grunt through the head while lasers zoomed back and for the through the fauna. On his sides other Kanto soldiers with rifles crouched in the bushes, firing back at the Rocket Shock Squadron forces who were already there, about 100 meters away.

He crouched a little lower behind the bush and looked towards another plain-uniformed sniper who was crouched behind another bush on his right. "Kenny, do you have a spare scope?"

Nodding, Kenny reached into his side pouch and pulled out a black scope, just like the one Sentinel had on his rifle before. Getting up, Kenny lunged over to Sentinel and handed him the scope. Just as he was about to get back behind the bush he had been hiding in, a stream of lasers ripped through his chest and stomach.

Kenny looked down in shock at the burnt holes in his chest as his uniform began to become red with blood. "Fuck…" He muttered shakily before another burst of lasers smashed into his head.

Kenny's mutilated body slumped to the ground. Looking at the corpse, Sentinel only growled a little while reaching to his earpiece. "They killed Kenny!"

"Bastards!" Someone else shouted over the radio, the next second a shot ringing out from it.

Dropping his hand from the earpiece, he took the scope in his hand and slid it into the rail on the top of the rifle, having fixed the rail himself.

In full honesty, at this range he didn't really need the scope, considering how talented he was. For some reason it was just instinct for him to put on the scope; it was what they taught to him, that a good sniper needs to maintain a good scope on his rifle.

He spied through the scope, smiling as he saw the crosshairs nice and aligned. Choosing one of the men who were coming in from afar, he fired.

Meanwhile, Shadow and Light had dashed into the bushes between the opposing factions, inching closer and closer to the approaching group of black-shirted grunts…

(Ready Light?) He asked as a single bullet zoomed past overhead, followed by about two more in quick succession.

(I'm ready.)

Inching a little closer, Shadow peered out of the bush to see three Rocket grunts hurriedly trying to assemble what looked like a mounted machine gun. Peering around to make sure these three were the only ones close by, Shadow nudged Light. (Go.)

Sentinel was firing a round nearly every half-second so long as his clip had bullets. Ahead of him he could see a powerful electrical explosion throw three Rocket grunts covered in static into the air with pieces of machinery in their wake. At the same time he had gotten low and was crouch-walking to the tree in front of him, placing his finger to the earpiece and typing in a four number code. "So what'd you and Light find there, Pulse?"

"Some grunts were preparing a machine gun position. Just out of curiosity, how many kills did you just get with those bullets?"

"About thirteen. I hit six of them in the head with three bullets, and the rest were single kills. It's not a very long distance, so this is absurdly easy."

Sentinel looked around the tree he was behind and noticed another group of grunts coming in towards where the explosion occurred. He kept one hand to the earpiece while reloading his rifle with the other. "Pulse, there's six Rocket grunts coming in at you."

The smaller radio on Shadow's ear beeped out as Light's ears twitched. (They're coming from behind you.)

(I know, let's get back in the bushes, quick!) He replied while leaping back into the shrubbery, her in tow. Within seconds they saw six black-garbed Rockets rushing in towards the blast hole. Watching patiently, Shadow leaned his head towards Light.

(Do you want to get them?) He asked softly. In turn, she summoned electricity into her paws…

"Looks like those grunts never learn…but then again, those were not Shock Squadron grunts, just the normal kind." Sentinel observed as he witnessed a charge of lightning dart in from above and smash into where the other explosion had occurred, tossing more electrocuted grunts into the air. Seeing two of them breathing rather fast and hard in the air, he raised his rifle and put a bullet through both of their hearts before they landed.

_I wonder how Umbreon and…Bolt, was it? Yeah, Bolt. I wonder how they're doing questioning that Wartortle back at the post…_

…

Within a larger tent in the encampment, flashes could be seen along with silhouettes blocking parts of the lights.

(GHHH! HZZZaaaAArrRRRggGhH!) The Wartortle screamed as his body was thrown into spasms by Bolt's electricity once again. Meanwhile, the Umbreon sat in front of the turtle, glaring it down before looking to Bolt.

Nodding, he took his paw off the Wartortle, ceasing the powerful flow of his electricity into the Wartortle's body.

Behind the Umbreon was a woman with hair orange like flames, flowing down her shoulders in a cascade. A blue and yellow flak jacket-looking vest with many pockets covered a Kanto military uniform, the left sleeve adorned with a patch that read 'KAM-TS'. She seemed to wince every time Bolt shocked him for not answering a question, but other than that, her aqua-colored eyes stayed where they looked.

Misty watched the tied-down Wartortle look up again, eyes wide with pain while his breathing continued erratically. Crossing her arms, she spoke once more. "You're not making this any easier on yourself…now, I'll ask again: What is the location of the airstrip Team Rocket is using?"

The Wartortle shakily looked up to her, face pale by now. Fearfully, his eyes turned towards Bolt in time to see him charge up a small sphere of electricity into his paw. Gulping, the Wartortle looked back to Misty, forcing his teeth to stop chattering as he clenched them. The translator collar on his neck beeped to life once more.

"I'm not talking…" He breathed out, and within that second the Umbreon nodded to Bolt again…

Misty sighed as she saw the Wartortle cry out once more at the feeling like fire igniting in his chest. Why they had picked her for interrogating this Wartortle was beyond her; first of all she was never good at torture, and second of all she didn't truly have the gut to see the Pokémon and humans writhing with whatever they had decided to use to 'persuade' them to talk, such as with Bolt sending electricity into the water type every time he refused to answer.

The static ravaged his body, and blood vessels could be seen sticking up in his ocean-blue skin like his very blood was boiling. His voice seemed to falter like he was already losing consciousness, only kept awake by the storm injected into him.

Bolt's paw rose from his skin with a shower of sparks. This time the Wartortle's eyes were becoming glazed over, small red cracks across them from the corners. The area of skin where Bolt had been putting his paw was blackened.

Misty grimaced; this wasn't helping much. He was probably sooner going to lose consciousness than to tell her anything. Within she just wanted to stop, but she knew she had to keep things menacing to get any information. She looked down to the pouch on the left side of her vest, opening it with her right hand.

The Wartortle watched fearfully. At the sight of what she pulled out, his pupils dilated in horror. She moved closer to him, brandishing the tool she had:

It was a gleaming, serrated combat knife that had been hidden in the radio pouch. The blade in the middle was a like small saw, while the upper portion sharpened into a needle at the tip. On the metal was the engraving 'KAM' with a water droplet beneath it.

The Umbreon moved aside for Misty as she knelt down in front of the shivering turtle Pokémon. A whine of fear escaped his mouth as he felt the cold steel press against his blue throat.

"I really don't want to have to do this, but I will if you don't answer me." Misty said as coldly as she possibly could. It seemed to have enough of an effect on the Wartortle, as he began to sweat profusely, even more so when she ran the flat back of the blade across his neck.

"So, where is that airstrip?"

…

Lasers zoomed past Shadow, many nearly hitting as he dashed towards the Shock Squadron soldiers with a layer of electricity cloaking him. Meanwhile, somewhere behind him lightning obliterated the area around a tree and threw up a Quilava who had a bloody streak across its chest…

(Iron Tail!)

Shadow's tail glowed a steely gray in the sunlight as it smacked into a grunt's chest seconds later, leaving a mighty cut through his Kevlar vest that ripped through to his entrails. Landing, Shadow threw up his paws and a dome of electricity with them, deflecting several laser blasts that were still coming from around him.

"Eat this, you stupid-AGH!" A grunt cried as he was thrown up along with his allies by a powerful Shockwave Shadow unleashed when he crossed his arms to focus his electricity, then threw them out.

From his position, Sentinel quickly took a shot at two of the grunts thrown into the air by Shadow's attack, the single bullet going through the ears of one and hitting the next square in his stomach.

Moving along, Sentinel moved forward in a crouching stance, taking out the M1911 he had found three days before. Silently he moved closer and closer to the enemy side, getting within twenty yards of a small group.

His aim was magnificent as he whipped out from behind a tree and shot a single .45 ACP into a grunt's head. Running towards the other three, he took two more shots before they could turn, catching one through his temple and the other between his eyes. As for the third he had run in towards Sentinel, brandishing his knife.

_Another knife fight…_

_Not interested._

"Ha!" The grunt yelled as he drove the knife through the air toward Sentinel. Easily, Sentinel caught the grunts arm and slammed into him with his elbow, dropping slightly to suplex the grunt over him. Turning around, Sentinel unloaded another bullet into the grunt's face.

_This M1911 is ancient…but reliable. It goes to show that old technology can still be of some use. _

He lowered himself back to the ground, unloading the clip from his pistol and inserting individual rounds into it until it was full. He peered out the top of the bushes, thinking: this was a position just about in the middle of the two forces. He was now in a magnificent position to get some more kills, but then again, the Rockets were now closer as well. In the crossfire he could also get killed by friendly forces.

The barrel on the pistol went back forward as he reloaded the clip. Reaching for the true tool of his trade, he carefully chose a target about fifty meters away and fired. At the same time, he noticed that many were beginning to run away.

_Good, they're retreating._

(Shadow, I think they're starting to fall back!) Light said with relief. In turn, Shadow smirked. True, the Rockets did appear to be faltering, many beginning to fall back into the woods. At the same time, he was hearing large amounts of rustling behind him: the Kanto men and Pokémon were advancing in.

It felt strange, fighting on the other side now. He was fighting on the side he thought was the enemy before. Now here he was, fighting for the former enemy against enemies that he once thought were allies.

"Go get 'em!" He heard a Kanto soldier yell from behind, followed by a battle cry as many Kanto soldiers came charging through the bushes, some pumping their rifles in the air. After them, a few silent ghillie-suited men came through, looking through their scopes all the way.

Despite the fight they had just been in, she managed to give him the kind, reassuring smile she always gave to him.

Sighing, he returned it. (Everything okay?)

(I'm fine. Is everything okay with you?)

(Not a scratch, a Light.) He answered her. At this point they had moved in toward one another, their noses almost touching.

(I've been thinking it over; Light…what you told me when we were getting toward Pallet. That you…loved me.)

Light listened, closely, her ears gobbling every word he said. He continued on:

(It was just so…sudden for me. I've never felt as appreciated then as ever before…You made me feel like I have a purpose again. Since then I've been thinking about my own feelings…and well…)

(I love you too.)

The sparkle in her eyes intensified, like the birth of a star. Slowly, she took a step towards him, then happily embraced him. Lovingly she rubbed her cheek on his, which was the 'Chu version of a kiss. (Oh Shadow…to hear you say that…I feel so happy…)

Gingerly, he wrapped his own arms around her waist, feeling the warmth of her body in his hold. Again, this feeling felt strange to him; actually being cared for, actually feeling appreciated for who he is, and not for his power.

She was giving him just that; true feeling, true attention, true love.

"Pulse, Light!"

Shadow looked up into the air, Light doing so as well when they heard Sentinel calling. With smile to each other, they let go of one another while Shadow cupped his paws around his mouth. "Over here!"

Seconds later, a heavy boot covered in realistic-looking fake leaves stepped through the bush, followed by Sentinel himself. Sweat showed on his skin, dampening the hair just barely visible under his hood. The black metal of his rifle did not reflect the sun, except for the glass on the scope. Wiping some dust off of it, Sentinel lowered himself to eye level with them.

His forest green balaclava moved with his mouth. "You're both good here?"

"We're both fine. What about you?"

"Just had small skirmish with some grunts earlier, but other than that I'm practically collecting heads." Sentinel responded calmly, his brown eyes sweeping over them. "I think we should move up with everyone else. We need to keep driving forward."

"Okay. We're ready to go when you are, Sentinel."

A beeping sounded from Sentinel's earpiece, along with a rapidly flashing green light on it. Sentinel pressed the button on it immediately putting two fingers over his mouth to tell Shadow and Light to keep silent. "This is KAM-TS Sniper Unit 3-2, codename 'Sentinel', number 10263991…"

Shadow and Light waited patiently, looking towards Sentinel while chatter went on through his earpiece. Sentinel's eyebrows rose slightly, then he looked up toward both of them curiously. "Yes, I have a Pikachu here named Pulse and a Raichu named Light. Interrogative, why do you need to know, Ma'am?"

_I wonder if Bolt told them or if Sentinel told them earlier… _

Another short chatter came through. Nodding, Sentinel looked back over his shoulder. "Confirmed, Ma'am. I'll be there immediately with them."

His hand lowered from the radio and he got up. "It looks like the Captain wants to speak with you two on…personal matters, apparently. Can't imagine what, but I suppose we should get over there anyhow. Let's go."

Sentinel turned quickly on his heel and walked through the bush. Light passed by Shadow to follow, but stopped, looking back at him. Blushing, she pecked him on the cheek with an actual kiss before following sentinel through the bush. This time, Shadow stood silent, rubbing his face where her lips had met, a smile creeping up along his mouth as he too stepped through the bush.

…

Ticks sounded from the small mechanical clock on the top of the folding table. Next to it was several photographs and two documents, scattered amongst themselves.

Misty looked at the clipboard she was using in the interrogation a few minutes ago. Most of the page, however, was blank…

"…Why couldn't he have just talked…" She said sadly, giving her combat knife one last swipe with a cloth before putting it in her chest vest and reaching out to take something in her hand, tossing the dull crimson-stained cloth into a trash can at her side…

What she picked up was a single letter, mailed from Cerulean city with a photo of her sisters in military uniforms like hers attached to the letter. The blond sported a Major's hat and a pistol, the brunette carried an ACR-A5, and the pink haired woman held a sniper rifle. Under the photo, a caption read 'Cpt. Violet, 1st Lieutenant Lily', and 'Maj. Daisy', all in their different handwritings. With them she could see the Nurse Joy of Pewter City standing, smiling at the camera with a Blissey next to her. The main difference she could see was that both wore helmets with red crosses instead of the usual medical caps they had.

Misty smiled at the text of the letter, which mixed in just how much they still thought of her as 'little' sister, and yet still respected her as a woman. Apparently they were stationed at Pewter, and they were planning to start another push from the north. Of course, like many other sisters, they added a bit of gossip into the letter that Misty blushed at.

"Have you hooked Ash yet…" She read aloud, looking to the framed photo of him that stood right next to the clock. Dropping the letter onto the table she sighed, putting her hand to her chin and resting her elbow on the tabletop while staring at the picture. The photo had been taken about two days ago, and at that time he had seemed a little more like his old self than usual. He seemed slightly uneasy about his Pikachu, though. It was, after all, about two weeks since he had sent him to find Shadow, as far as she could remember.

It was the day after he had once again gone to visit the remains of Pallet. That was also the day he, her and the rest of KAM-TS had been transferred to this location to deal with the Rocket's Shock Squadron. The first conversation they had here was actually pertaining to Shadow.

"What is it about that Pikachu that Ash is so interested in?" Misty asked herself while looking to another photo on the table, picking it up to get a better look at the image of what was thought to be Shadow, fiercely dashing to another Kanto soldier after having sliced a massive wound into another behind him who was now covered in static.

From her very own experience in fighting him TWICE, she could tell that he was quite a battler. She could only imagine how things would've gone if Team Rocket had him about twelve years ago, when Ash had just barely gotten past Kanto and was going to Johto…

_No, don't think about it._

As far as she could tell, it wouldn't have ended up very well for him, her or Brock. Even though Bolt was unbelieveably powerful now, it wasn't exactly the case then. Another disadvantage they would've had…would be that Shadow didn't seem to fear killing someone if he had to, and she was pretty sure he would've killed at LEAST one of them unintentionally.

She missed the old quadruplet they had, herself, Ash, Bolt, and Brock. Right now Brock was in Pewter with her sisters, but the last time she had heard from him was probably three months ago. Meanwhile Ash and Bolt were always off to places unknown…

She put down the picture and looked to the small wooden clock, whose thin blue needles now read 6:08. Once again, she saw, she was alone. Just like she had been for a while now.

This was one of the many things she hated about war, looking past the bloodshed, the deaths of so many innocents, and the destruction of her homeland. It was probably even the thing she hated most.

The isolation you feel. How alone you could be in these situations, and nobody else can come for you because they all have something else to do. Meanwhile the clock kept ticking, each click another second of her time…time spent being all alone.

…

(It's definitely not like a Team Rocket camp…) Shadow observed, seeing both humans and Pokémon walking around in the same area, some going out into the forest in groups, some resting. There was even a red-headed woman and a blue-haired man he could see playing cards with a Meowth that they were walking towards. From the looks of it, the Meowth was actually winning with a huge amount of chips, while the man had a decent amount of chips left. Meanwhile, the red-head was down to almost no chips left, with her lip twitching in an angry smile.

"Ha! I win again!" the Meowth yelled triumphantly in a brooklyn accent, happily bringing all the poker chips towards him while the man scratched his head. Meanwhile, the woman was enraged, practically fuming from her nostrils as the cat took her last poker chip. "No way! You must be cheating, Meowth!"

"To be honest, Jess, you just suck at the game of poker." The man put in. "Wah! I mean, he's cheating! He's cheating!" He spoke in alarm upon seeing her loom over him with her knuckles cracking between her hands.

"Still having trouble, Jessie? Let me guess; James is still doing better than you, and Meowth is winning." Sentinel said to them, stopping to view their game. Curiously, Shadow eyed the Meowth upon hearing him talking. Light on the other hand was watching the woman, amazed by just how much of a drama-queen she seemed to be.

"Shut up! I'm just getting warmed up is all! Hmph!" She said defiantly while crossing her arms and turning away. When she looked down, she saw Shadow there, and immediately he noticed her eye twitch, her pupils getting smaller.

"…Oh, ummm…hi there, Pikachu." She said with a noticeably forced smile, waving at him. Both Shadow and Light gave her an odd look, and she turned from them, laughing slowly and shakily. "Wonderful day we're having, huh?"

"Jess, it's not HIS Pikachu. The fur on top of its head is different, see?" James pointed out half-heartedly, yawning as he took a sip from a bottle of Coca-Cola while looking over his next hand of cards. "Hey Sentinel, when's dinner?"

The sniper shook his head. "James, sometimes you amaze with just how smart you are…and how stupid or irrelevant your questions are. Why the in hell are wondering about dinner when you've already gone through ten bottles of Coke?"

While James had begun to explain, Shadow had walked around to where he was right next to the Meowth. Taking notice, Meowth leaned in towards Shadow's ear. "James just likes bottle caps A LOT, dat's the ting, and as ya can probably tell, Jessie has two personalities: an insecure woman, and a MEAN woman."

"I can tell. So you can talk too?" Shadow whispered back, making the Meowth double take at him. "Wow, I never thought I'd see anotha Pokémon speakin' like me. Do ya have a name?"

"My name's Pulse. By the way, don't let them know I can talk, got it?"

"Okay, Pulse. I won't tell nobody." The cat said, looking over to James, who was now opening yet another bottle of soda while carefully trying not to bend the cap in the process. Shadow could actually see him sweating in his effort not to break the tiny piece of metal.

"Mmm…Got it!" He said triumphantly as the red cap came off perfectly, allowing him to catch it with his unoccupied hand while taking a big swig from the Coke with his other. "Tastes like victory…I wonder just how difficult it was to get this Coca-Cola stuff from that country over the sea…"

" 'Ay James, are ya gonna get anotha hand or what?" Meowth said, annoyed at the delay. He leaned back towards Shadow, whispering with a sly smile. "I'll talk to ya later. I've got a game to win!"

On the opposite side of the table, Sentinel had his hand to his face, shaking his head. "All that caffeine can't possibly be good for you, James…"

James took another sip from the bottle, hardly paying attention to Meowth. "It's well worth it when I get these bottle caps, though. Like I said, this stuff isn't even found in this country!"

"James, are you gonna play or do I have ta rip ya stupid bottle caps to shreds?" Meowth exclaimed, jumping onto the table and unsheathing his claws. Unfortunately for him, however, the sweeping motion he made with his paw caused a claw to cut a piece of Jessie's hair when she leaned in to take a few poker chips when they weren't looking.

The small lock of red hair drifted down directly in front of her vision while she watched, a shocked expression on her face. At the same time, Sentinel made a large motion to Shadow that pretty much told him to move. NOW.

"Ehh…sorry, Jess…" Meowth said, raising his paws innocently. Even James had stopped drinking his soda and was slowly scooting away from the table, only stopping when he realized that he had left the bottle caps on the table.

Light stepped back from Jessie as she rose from her seat, both fists clenched at her sides while a mad smile crept across her face. "You just…cut my hair…"

"YOU CUT MY BEAUTIFUL HAIR!"

"Okay…Pulse, Light…let's just keep going…" Sentinel whispered as Jessie reached across the table to seize Meowth while he in turn grabbed James with his claws. Walking away with Sentinel, Light and Shadow looked back to see the rather comical brawl take place, with Jessie trying to stab Meowth with a knife, the alarmed Meowth trying to dodge each swipe of the knife, and James using his body to protect his bottle caps while also avoiding Jessie's blade.

The two 'Chus looked at each other with questioning looks, somewhat confused at the odd behavior of the trio.

(…Those had to be some of the weirdest people I've ever seen…) Shadow said, the sounds of the fight growing distant.

(I agree…) Light said while scratching her head, astounded by the sheer amount of foolishness those three had shown despite being in a Kanto Army camp. Ahead of them, Sentinel sighed. "I can't understand what you two are saying, but I'm pretty sure that you're probably talking about them, right? Well guess what…those three are actually robotics experts…"

(What? Robotics experts?) Light said. Despite not being able to understand her, Sentinel could hear the disbelief present in her voice. "Yes. Robotics experts. Apparently they've built more robots…GIANT robots, they say…than you can count. I've seen their work, and I have to say that I'm impressed with it."

He shook his head, looking over his shoulder to them as they passed a small squad of soldiers walking the opposite way. "…Apparently they specialize in electricity-proof armor and short-proof wiring…"

…

It was a drab green tent with a lantern hanging out side it, with a visible light source inside as well. Overhead the sky had begun to turn a shade of violet and bright orange, but under the canopy of trees the camp already was experiencing the darkness of night. At the sides of the tent was what looked like barbed wire separating the front of the tent from the forest behind it. A small wooden gate was open slightly to the left of the tent. Next to the opening in the wire was a young, strong-looking dark man carrying a rifle, with a scuffed-up camouflage cap over his hair. The uniform he wore was much cleaner, though there were some signs of wear. Like Sentinel, he had a dark green cloth over his mouth.

The outline of a smirk appeared on his mouth cover. "I heard things went well, Sentinel. How many heads did you collect today?"

"I'd say about thirty six or thirty seven, four of those with this pistol here."

The M1911 was raised in his hand to show. The soldier looked at it oddly, reaching his hand out. "Mind if I see that? That thing looks ancient."

"Sure, Harvey. Just don't break it." Sentinel said while placing the gun in Harvey's hands. While he had begun inspecting the pistol, Shadow and Light had begun talking.

Light started off. (...So what do you think, Shadow? Do you think you'll be able to fit in here?)

(It's definitely not as hostile as being in a Team Rocket post…I mean, in Team Rocket they'd have most Pokémon in Pokéballs, but here I'm seeing a lot of them just walking around…)

All around, there were signs of this. A translator collar around a nearby Ivysaur's neck was allowing it to talk with the soldier walking with it. Near there a dark-haired woman was dozing off on a chair with a sleeping Vulpix cradled in her arms, nuzzling its head into her chest. Right across from them a tall, black-haired and light skinned man was busy inspecting a cut on the back of a Marowak, who stood there wincing slightly while the man gave encouraging remarks as he applied what looked like some disinfectant to the wound.

Even then, these were just three examples in the wake of many more humans and Pokémon interacting in Shadow's view.

(…This is definitely better than in Team Rocket. I would never even dream things like…these would happen with them. Everyone…humans, Pokémon…they're all so close here. )

(I promise you, Shadow. Everything here's much better than in Team Rocket. I know from experience that these people will actually listen to your problems. Just trust them, and they'll grow to trust you.)

Overhead, Harvey was enviously handing the pistol back to Sentinel. "Damn, I wish I could get my hands on something like that. Our current pistols are too damn bulky compared to that thing." He observed while pulling his own pistol, its size definitely greater than that of the M1911. "Sure, the pistols we use just need energy packs, put I think a weapon like that would be much more reliable when you need to whip it out fast."

Sentinel spun the gun on his finger while holstering it. "Now, if I could just find some .45 rounds. I pretty sure the only place where I could find them is probably directly from an armory…anyway, I need to get these two to the captain."

He pointed down to Shadow and Light, motioning to the gate. "For some reason the captain wants to see them."

Harvey smirked as he looked down to them. "Well apparently the captain here can understand Pokémon. I don't know how in hell he can, but he can…anyhow, I'll have to ask the Lieutenant."

Harvey opened the tent flap and put his head in. "Lieutenant, ma'am, the Captain called for Sentinel here to bring him some 'Chus?"

From within, Shadow heard a woman's voice reply "Pulse and Light, right? The TS captain's waiting for them. Let them pass."

_That voice sounded oddly familiar…_

Harvey took his head out of the tent. "Okay Sentinel, you guys can go on. You know where the cap'n is."

"If I know him, he's sitting by the fire." Sentinel spoke while going around Harvey and going through the gate. "Let's go you two."

, Shadow's eyes wandered to Light, his paws scratching the back of his head while following behind the sniper. (You can tell who this captain is, right?)

(Of course. He and Xepher were the ones who had sent me to spy in Team Rocket, after all.)

It was actually a fairly short walk past several men in the woods, armed with either a sniper rifle like Sentinel's or a carbine that looked upgraded from the standard Kanto soldier's weapon. A path had been cut through the shrubs that led to a small area in the cross off three other paths. Both 'Chus met the sight of three tents, each one with two men guarding the entrances. Smoke rose from a campfire in the middle of the camp, with a lone figure sitting there and watching it. In front of the entrance to the area was a check-in point of some sort. A single guard stood there, raising his gun slightly as they approached.

"Halt. State your identity and purpose." The guard said flatly, looking down to Shadow and Light, then to Sentinel.

"KAM-TS Sniper Unit 3-2, codename 'Sentinel', number 10263991. I was informed that the TS Captain wants to talk with…these two."

If looks could say words, Shadow could see that the guard's eyes were questioning, pretty much like they were saying something akin to, 'WTF'. Meanwhile he was typing Sentinel's code into a computer that was on his wrist. After a small beeping sounded from the device, the guard nodded to them.

"…Okay then. The three of you can come in…Sentinel, I'll be needing all the weapons on your person."

The sniper rifle strap came off somewhat grudgingly; after all, it was almost an insult to have a sniper's weapon taken from him. Another blow came to Sentinel when he slid the holster carrying his vintage pistol off of his belt and placed it on the table as well. Finally, he slid the knife he had out of its sheath, its steel gleaming in the glow of the fire.

Of course, he actually had more than just that.

"Everything." The guard said impatiently.

_Seriously. I hate all these hold-ups. _

Shadow began tapping his foot lightly as Sentinel reached for his right boot, sliding out a plastic bottom with his thumb to reveal a hidden shoe knife. Unclipping it from the boot, he placed it on the table as well.

"That's everything." Sentinel said firmly.

"…Alright. Come on in."

...

Shadow could sense that even Sentinel was a little uneasy. But what could one expect?

The Captain sat, staring steadily at those flames as they licked away at the graying wood. At his side another Pikachu, like Shadow, was sitting there looking into the fire with his master.

Bolt looked back at them, automatically making eye contact with Shadow. It was almost a cold glare, but it was almost welcoming at the same time; like the kind of look given to someone you don't completely know, but recognize as a proven ally.

The figure shifted, turning his head to them to look with his own eyes. He didn't know why, but the very sight of his eyes made chills run through Shadow. He wanted to look away, but at the same time he wanted to face the man. The hair on top of his head was slightly spiked on the edges, but rounded near the top, like it had adjusted to him wearing a cap.

Sentinel stopped. "Captain, I brought them for you."

"Thanks, Sentinel. I needed to talk to these two…how was the battle going?"

"We routed them, sir. These two helped a lot, and I mean it. They've gotten a few kills to their credit today."

Ash smirked, nodding to Sentinel. "Good. Okay Sentinel, your Umbreon is waiting for you in that tent behind you. Thanks again for bringing them."

"Yes sir. Just call if you need anything."

Sentinel turned around and began walking back to the tent Ash pointed out. The Umbreon walked out, her tail wagging as Sentinel knelt down to pet her for a few moments before making his way to the guard at the gate.

Meanwhile Shadow faced Ash directly, Ash looking over him extensively with a more serious look now. Silently, he motioned for him and Light to go over to the other side of the fire.

Light sat down at the other end, followed by Shadow next to her. Both had their attention on Ash, waiting for him or Bolt to say something. Instead, they were both continuing to look into the fire.

Fur brushed against Shadow's paw, and he turned his head to see Light holding it. She looked earnestly at him, smiling. (Shadow…)

Smiling back, Shadow gripped her paw as well. Both looked at each other tenderly for a few moments before they, almost in unison, turned back to the crackling orange.

They lifted their head to Ash as he grunted, crossing his legs and looking over the fire to them.

"So Shadow, Light…I want you to tell me everything: What's happened to you both so far?"

"…What have you seen?"


	4. Chpt III: Shadow's Story

Think of this as Shadow recounting it all in his head while speaking to Ash. R&R.

And HOLY HELL...this is long. Remember to take a break in between so you don't burn out your eyes!

Chapter III: Shadow's Story

September 6, 2061 7:12 p.m.

The fire crackled hotly in front of him. To his side, Light held his paw, earnestly smiling to assure him. On the other side of the hot orange, Ash and Bolt sat, silent.

So many memories went through his head. There was just so much to tell…but he wanted to tell.

It was like a way to just…let it all out, so maybe someone else could try to understand him, like Light maybe did.

Shadow exhaled, looking directly at Ash and opening his mouth to answer Ash's question…

…

_I am Shadow. _

_I am the end result of a good man's experiments that had to be used for evil. _

_I was raised to believe that the cause I was fighting for was right, and that the ones fighting us were enemies to both my 'friends' and me personally. _

_They had told me I was fighting to avenge my parents. They had told me that the Kanto Army was responsible for their deaths, and by extension, so were the people of Kanto themselves. _

_I fought, bled and tore through the ranks of Kanto Army regulars many, many times. With my own two paws I bashed so many skulls in. With my tail I had sliced clean through their bodies. With all by legs I had stepped upon their fallen like a mass carpet of death for me._

_Soon enough my name had begun to be known. Even those in the higher ranks of the Kanto Marines had come to dread the day in which they might have to face me in battle. Some had the ability to defeat me with enough bloodshed of their own. Some would not be able to hold up against me for even a minute. _

_Everywhere I went, whether on a mission or in general combat, I left behind a swath of destruction, ranging from piles of bodies to the burning facades of entire buildings. _

…_and yet all the time, it did nothing for me. _

_Vengeance for my parents was always out of reach, because the men, women and Pokémon who fought to defend their homeland continued to stand. Through the many battles I had experienced I could see that they refused to give in. None seemed to dare surrender, no matter how much punishment I personally gave them. It just enraged me…to see that no matter what I did; no matter how hard I tried…they refused to give in to me or to Team Rocket. _

_Time just kept on ticking for me. New and old faces came and went. However from the time I was placed in a squad it was always the same two with me; Light and Darrel. _

…

_Darrel and I always had a bit of a rift between us. At times he showed mercy to the Kanto men; at other times he relished stabbing them in the back. _

_But with Light, I was torn. _

_She was one of a kind in Team Rocket. She never wanted to kill. Her voice carried the tone of worry almost all the time. Instead of focusing on the mission at hand…she nearly always had to focus on me. _

_It irritated me, there was no doubt about that. She couldn't just get the mission done herself…she always had to make sure the others were alright. No matter how much I scorned her, no matter how much I told her to leave the stragglers behind, she always had to go back for them. _

_I knew she meant well, but sometimes it ended up nearly getting her killed. I can remember about four to five times I had to drag her broken body back to a camp to get medical attention for her wounds._

_At the same time her kindness to me was…new. The kind of compassion she showed to me was something that I had never experienced before. Whenever I wanted to talk, she would listen. Every time she saw me, she wanted to help. _

…

_As a whole squad, we were nearly unbeatable. Darrel, though he rarely needed to use one, was an expert with the electro-sabers. He was sometimes even able to deflect lasers back at the people who shot them. Meanwhile, I was the one who would get up-close and personal with the targets, using my natural speed and enhanced strength to beat down opposition. Light would attack from afar, using her electrical abilities as a Raichu to jolt enemies and blast all machinery apart. Even then she had some impressive skills in close quarters, but nowhere as good as mine. _

_However, our 'unbeatable' squad finally met defeat…overwhelming defeat, even…at the power of Ash and Bolt. _

_I realize that even if Light hadn't turned on me during the battle, they still would have defeated us. That battle was a decisive point in my life, for sure. From that battle I later trained myself to use Thundershield and Lightning Blade…_

…

_I continued on in life at Team Rocket, facing battles at Celadon against a woman I've come to know as 'Misty' and against Bolt again. The battle there that left a lasting impression on me, though…was the fight I had with Bolt. _

_I wouldn't be surprised if Bolt could match the electrical power of Zapdos, or even Zekrom. With one single, powerful electrical attack called 'Thunderstorm' he completely destroyed the street we were fighting on, killing everyone but myself and him. _

_But then came his comments: _

"_Is that what they told you? That WE killed your parents__?" _

_That one pissed me off, and even then when I went up to him and started beating his face in, he still seemed calm_:

"_Shadow, let me ask you…do you think THEY would want you to be in Team Rocket?__"_

_I answered:_

"_Of course…what better way to have revenge__ on you guys for killing them?"_

…_But he only had a short, simple reply that froze me in contemplation:_

"_Are you sure…they would want you living a life…of pain and hate like this?__"_

…

_I was sent into the foggy, stormy ruins that was what used to be a place called Pallet Town. _

_As I walked through the streets, I could see nothing but the echoes of destruction. Buildings left and right were torn into by massive holes or were collapsed into piles of concrete, rotten wood and meager plant life. _

_Pits dotted the desolate, bleak roadway. Many were filled with rainwater, while some led directly to the sewers under the street. Every now and then I came across…skeletons, with tattered clothing just barely hanging to their whitish-gray bones. Many had fallen along the streets and the sides, with parts of bone missing or cracked. A dirt road leading out of town had a hill nearby, with a single, nearly-destroyed structure on top of it with the remains of a windmill on the ground, rusting next to it. _

_And all around, the smell of blood hung in the air discreetly, but noticeable. Chills went through me with each breath of the stench. _

_I saw a single, Pikachu-like figure amongst the silhouettes of the ruins. When I stared at it, I saw that there was blood running from its eyes, onto its pitch-black fur. The smile it had was both threatening and friendly:_

"_Keep Going."_

_I tried to follow it, but it disappeared into the rain just as lightning illuminated my view. Just then I noticed several more figures approaching me, low to the ground. Once they were close nough I could see what they were in detail: They were like genderless humans, their skin pitch-black. Their faces were nearly blank, save for two, slit-like scarlet eyes. Long talons extended from their hands like curved daggers. As they encircled me I got on all fours and demanded to who they were, only to be answered by an otherworldly screech. _

_I got up on two feet and charged my electricity into an electrical rod, dodging an attack from behind when one of the creatures lunged at me from behind, piercing my ears with its scream. Recovering, I exchanged slashes with that one creature, smashing by Lightning Blade against its talons until I got an opening. With speed, I jabbed at the creature…_

_But my attack went right through it, unaffecting the monster. Pain swelled on my back as another ripped its claws into me. I managed to dodge a second strike, but my back was on fire. _

_If I couldn't damage these things, then how was I supposed to defeat them?_

_I noticed a cloaked figure standing on top of one of the ruined buildings near me. Its gloved hand touched the unseen face beneath its hood:_

"Only the powers of Light, Twilight, and Darkness can harm them."

_Using a Thunder attack to hold them off, I jumped back. I turned around at the sound of a click, to have my arm seized by the cloaked figure that was just on top of the building. I struggled for a few short seconds before seeing Ash's face under the hood: _

"_If you want to defeat them, you have to use this power__…__the power I saw you use before…__"_

_Seconds later I was on top of the building, dark aura enveloping me. What he had done to me was unknown…but I recognized the feeling of that energy. It was the very same energy I had unleashed when I fought him and Bolt in the forest.  
We talked there for a moment. I asked why he was trying to help me…_

"_Because I want you to help me destroy Team Rocket."_

_No._

_I didn't care if he was a Pokémon Master or not. There was no way that I was going to leave Team Rocket behind, and there was no way I would leave Light and Darrel. __Even with the suggestion that I take them with me, I was adamant. There was no way that I would turn on the ones who made me a home…_

_My reasons for fighting were not for the war. It was to avenge my family…who was killed by the Kanto Army. _

_Ash was surprised by what I said. Despite the downpour clattering on the cement or the thunder, I could hear him chuckle, angering me:_

"I found it funny…because it kinda reminds me of myself."

_I challenged that, and found myself dangling in the air a second later, his grip tight around my neck. Cold eyes scanned over me as I glared defiantly at him with bright, scarlet eyes:_

_. __"How would you know I haven't suffered something like that, exactly? What if I told you…that this place, Pallet Town, was my home at one time before your so-called allies came and brutally killed everyone who couldn't escape them, and then obliterated __the entire area__?"_

_He gently tossed me back so I could land on my feet, allowing me to get my breath back. He continued on, saying that no matter what, that place would be his only home. _

_And the creatures below us, he called Ethereals. They were the reflections of the darkest parts of a being's soul. They were…Darkness incarnate…_

_He walked forward to the edge of the building, allowing himself to fall off. As I rushed to see him fall, he had disappeared…below me Ethereals were clawing their way up the façade of the building. I opened my paw to see dark energy already flowing into it, at my will. Looking down to the Ethereals, I dove off the building with my dark energy awakened… _

_When I got to my objective in the ruins, I again saw him, with a rose in hand. He planted it in the center of the massive crater while handing me the beacon I had to pick up. _

_It seemed that he had set this all up. He had sent someone into the base to give me the mission, all so that he could talk with me. _

_He warned me to keep Light safe. He also told me to keep her power secret from the boss. In the way he spoke about the importance of keeping her power secret, I could tell he was dead serious. Despite the fact that he was an enemy, I figured I should probably do what eh said…_

…

_The day I found out that Light was actually a spy for the Kanto Army. The day she turned on me and Zero, knocking him out and returning to Misty's side. _

_That…was one of the lowest points in my life. After all the trust I'd given her, after how much I had begun to warm up to her…she was on the other side, all along. For all I knew, she and Misty had set it all up._

_Mourning._

_Confusion._

_Betrayal. _

_All of these feelings drenched my mind in a rain. But above all that, one emotion stood supreme:_

_RAGE._

_We fought long and hard. Right before the fight began, Zero had awoken and had gone after Misty. Meanwhile, I stood to contend with Light. _

_It was my inner power against hers. Light against Shadow. The White versus the Dark._

_I hadn't actually summoned my dark power until near the conclusion of our battle, but still…it was a tough battle for me. I could not focus, and thus I could not fight her effectively. In normal situations I might have been able to stop her even when I hadn't powered up. But I was so unstable, so heart-broken by the mental pain that I had to use my dark energy just to pull off a stalemate with her._

_The last strike formed a grayish sphere around us. I could only hear her consciousness, not see her. Lamenting in my own mind, I eventually found myself back on the ground, bleeding heavily. Across from me I could see her also lying in the dust, breathing and bleeding as heavily as I was. _

_Sadness was all that remained in me, and then it was rage that allowed me to pick myself up and slowly, but surely, drag myself to where she lied. Every fiber of my being ached, and every sense of trust and feeling I could've had for her had already broken. _

_Her eyes held fear, and almost as much sorrow as mine held madness. Seizing her by the neck, I screamed into her face, tears running down my dusty red cheeks... _

_I had trusted her. She was supposed to be my friend. She had said to me before that she wanted to help me…_

_But now I saw that she was really on my enemies' side. I took it that she had never really wanted to be my friend at all…it was like I had told her, when we first met: _

_I'M JUST SOME SORT OF FREAK._

_My paw rose above my head, depressed and cold eyes looking over her for what I thought would be the last time. Electricity formed into a blade in my raised paw._

_I had actually liked her a little, and I told her that as my Lightning Blade crackled by her chin. Raising the electric saber, I yelled goodbye…to a would-be friend. _

_Suddenly I was blasted back when she suddenly raised her own paw towards me, hitting me square in the face with an attack of her white energy. Trying to open my eyes, I found that my sight had become very blurry, with photo-negative color to everything. It burned to just keep my eyes open, and I could feel my blood running from them. Figures and shaped in the night bent and twisted into impossible ways…_

_I could see the terribly distorted image of Zero appearing over the edge of the crater I had landed in. Urgently, I called for him to get help before I passed out…_

…

_Blinded, I was useless. Bruises and cuts covered my body from the battle. Both outside and inside, I was broken. I could not move. I could not fight back the tears I shed in the infirmary. My entire body felt cold, not exactly numb, but cold nonetheless. _

_Again, the emotions I felt most in there was a strange mixture of sadness and anger, all concentrated on Light. _

_I had trusted her. I had…I had come to know her as a friend. _

_But that was all fake. _

_Voices in my head tormented me. Whether I was going mad or not, I didn't know. What I could tell was that the voice sounded much like a fiendish version of my voice... _

_I heard someone walk into the room. The voice was very familiar to me; this man, at least, was a friend to me: Xepher. _

_He was uneasy, I could tell by the way he was talking. He wanted to take a blood sample from me. Then he told me to act like I was asleep. Immediately afterwards, another entered the room: Dr. Namba. _

_Heh, they might as well have called him Satan. He was so obsessed with his damn bioweapon research, and he was always using numerous unfortunate test subjects for his experiments. His very voice seemed malevolent, like he was a demon in a human's skin. _

_That's when I found out about myself. Namba expressed the fact first, rather mockingly, to Xepher:_

"_It__ was YOU who suggested telling him those lies about his so-called 'parents' being killed…"_

"_It was YOU who suggested taking the DNA of that Pikachu of Ketchum's during the siege on Pallet…"_

"…_new life…through this CLONE."_

_The word rebounded in my head, over and over again. Was that the reason why I had this power? Because I was just some kind of…EXPERIMENT?_

_Namba jabbed a syringe of something into me. Whatever it was, it couldn't have just been poison since it travelled through my body so fast. I felt like…like a painful version of what I felt when I summoned my dark energy. Pure darkness concentrated into a syringe? _

_No. the very concept sounds ridiculous. _

_The next thing I heard was the sounds of Namba screaming and Xepher roaring. I heard ripping and squelching sounds. The next thing I felt was warm blood splattering on my legs. _

_I felt the dark power. I removed the bandages covering my blinded eyes. _

_The energy flowed through me. _

_Namba had said that I was useless to Team Rocket now. They didn't need me anymore. _

_It was like Light had said to me when I fought her: I was just a tool to them, only useful until I was broken, like now._

_She…she was right. _

_I just…had to save her. What she had said to me during that battle truly was concern for me. I could remember the worried tone of her voice, but at the time I thought she was just mocking me. _

_Now I knew it was genuine._

_In the next moment I was heading toward the testing area with Xepher, after making my way through many, many Rocket grunts and Pokémon. I killed all who stood in my way, and I…actually enjoyed it. _

…

_When I finally got to the testing area with Xepher, the main observation room was destroyed, and burning. I jumped out of hole in the wall that leads to the main testing zone. Down there, I saw Light standing in a corner, alone. _

_I approached her, seeing her body bruised and cut up even more then when In fought her. There was almost no static coming off her body. _

_She whispered for me to get away from her. _

_I felt confused. The voice from earlier told me to do what she said. _

_She told me to get away from her once more, her voice feral this time. _

_The next moment I was sent flying back when she punched me. HARD. _

_I could feel residual dark energy coursing over me. When I looked up, I saw her giving the most demonic smile I had ever seen. Her eyes were blood red, with white pupils lined by a ring of black. _

_Then I heard her voice. _

_It was unlike anything I had heard before from anyone's mouth. Her calm, soothing voice layered over by another that was deeper, completely sinister. That other voice alone sounded warped…but together they were completely haunting. _

_That other voice was Marxus. _

_By the time he had released Light from his influence, I was too tired to go on. He just gloated there in front of me and Light._

"_This will prove to be interesting and enjoyable all in one…I will make sure to keep an eye on both of you…"_

_And the next moment he was gone. I…I had allowed him to leave. _

_Everything was just falling apart around me. My allies were now enemies. The one I thought was a traitor was actually my friend…_

…

_Zero had taken Xepher hostage. When I and Light arrived in the room Zero was holding him in, it was filled with Rocket grunts. In the next moment, however, all of them but one were on the ground, dead. _

_Zero told the last one to leave. Instead, the man stood frozen in fear. When he moved to his rifle very shakily…_

_Zero slashed his throat. _

_Light was not feeling well. Her body was far too fatigued from the battle before, when Marxus had control of her. That's when Zero rushed to Xepher at impossible speed for a Pichu, pressing a single claw to my friend's neck;_

"…_If either of you get within ten feet of Xepher, I'll slice his head clean off."_

…_That Pichu was probably the fastest enemy I'd faced until then. When he got mad and began slashing all around me, I literally had to stay on my toes. One moment he on my left, then right, then behind and in front. Slash after slash of his claws came…until he went after Xepher when he saw Light trying to release him from the ropes binding him. He disabled me with an electromagnetic slash that paralyzed me, then he went in and quickly dispatched Light before aiming his claws at Xepher…_

…_but Light jumped in front of him before Zero ran his claws through Xepher, taking the claws meant for him. _

_I was infuriated beyond the limit now. That day was already horrible for me, but seeing Zero about to execute her just made me snap. _

_It happened so fast. I caught his paw, then I smashed him into a wall and began choking him, then I threw him out the door. _

_I walked slowly, viciously toward where he landed while blasting rocket grunts out of the way with fierce Thunderbolts. He weakly raised his claws to me…_

"_I….I won't…surrender…to a fucking traitor…like you!"_

_That's when I punched him through the floor below. That's when I saw the life draining out of him as he lay there, dying. I still remember the fear on him turn into weak malice:_

"_Shadow…somehow…!"_

"…_somehow…I'll…get even…!"_

"…_some…day…"_

_I could still feel a weak pulse coming from his heart, but his blood was running out of him like a river. Looking down at him one last time, I jumped up through the hole above and returned to Xepher and Light, ready for the final part of the escape._

…

_Freedom._

_We had made it out alive. While Xepher returned to the Kanto Army, Light and I walked through the forest, just trying to find a way. I seriously had no idea what to do at that point. I was lost, but her company gave me some hope._

_We were up in a tree after meeting a Pidgeot who told us where we could go: Apparently there was an area full of other 'Chus that we could go to. I told her what he told me, but I was negative about them accepting me. She told me that being a clone meant nothing, and that it shouldn't get in my way. _

"…_You're stronger than that, Shadow…I know you are…"_

_All these encouragements…I didn't understand them. After all that I've done in Team Rocket, and what I had done to her sometimes. Sure, I may have saved her from Marxus…but still, anyone else would not even dare go near me after seeing what I had done, like her. Even with that kind of knowledge, she lifted my spirits._

_I knew there was more to her encouragement of me. What was she getting at?_

_Then she touched her cheek to mine and gave our species' 'loveshock' to me…_

"_I…I love you."_

_I didn't know how to react…_

…_love?_

_For ME?_

…

_We went through Pallet Town. We saw the numerous, crumbling buildings drowned by torrents of rain. The horrors of so many skeletons, some lined up in rows with holes through their skulls, and others lying randomly in the streets, blackened in holes full of soot or lying like they were shot down while running away._

_Light was crying. She said she could hear their voices, wanting us to make their pain stop. She would not take one more step, so I had to drag her on through the downpour of the storms above. _

_Then we saw a massive bolt of lightning strike the ground far in front of us. Emerging from the electricity was a Pikachu with a dark aura and glowing, scarlet eyes…_

…_that looked just like me._

"_I'm our Ethereal…or as I am specifically, an AntiReal"_

_Then, HE came out from a portal with what I can assume was Light's AntiReal…_

_Marxus._

_Damn that…monster. He dared to come out now, just after he forced me to fight Light. This time, however, I wanted to fight him myself. _

_But he…wasn't in the mood for it. Instead, he sent my AntiReal to fight with me. _

…_I seriously don't know who I hate more. Marxus, or…my AntiReal. I suppose you could call him something along the lines of…_

_AntiShadow. _

_Anyway, 'AntiShadow' taunted me about why I really had Light following me. Just the thought of what he suggested…just pisses me off. _

_To have her there for something like sex later on? _

_I feel sick at the very idea. _

_He…he truly was the embodiment of my darker thoughts. I could feel the chills while fighting him, so many negative thoughts going through my mind with each blow me traded, up until Marxus came diving out of the sky with a rod of dark energy…_

_Only to be blocked from striking me by Ash. _

_I don't know where he had come from, but I didn't care. He was there, and he had probably just saved my life, now that I know Marxus's true power. _

_Ash began talking with Marxus. I can't imagine how Ash was able to keep his cool when Marxus mentioned the destruction of Pallet. The talk was brief, however:_

"_I wanted to have some entertainment…however you have ruined the show. Thus, I will be taking my leave now."_

_That was the second time I had allowed him to leave, in a span of two days…_

_Ash got my attention off the thought, however. He told me that if Bolt's parents could not beat Marxus so many years ago, then there would be no way I could defeat him alone any time soon. Next, he asked if Light was ready to return to their base with him…_

_But she refused, and opted to stay with me instead. _

"…_I want to stay with Shadow. I'm sorry if this causes any trouble, sir…but he's already saved my life once, and even before then he protected me in battle…I believe I owe him my trust…"_

"…_and my love."_

…

_So we arrived at the edge of a large meadow. To my surprise…_

_Bolt was there to meet us. He and his brother Raisen were both there, and they took us to an apple tree in the middle of the meadow. They and their sister Raika had already dug me and Light a burrow of our own under the tree, next to theirs. _

_They gave us their own clan symbol: a lightning bolt with a single slash through it. Afterwards, Light and I climbed down into our new home. _

_The burrow was built very well. The floor and ceiling was all soil, packed together so hard it felt almost like concrete. Two dips in the soil that were about three feet apart from each other were filled with grass for bedding. _

_I patted down the grass somewhat as I lied down. Opposite me, Light also lay on her side to rest. Instead, however, our eyes made contact. _

_Then I did not know what made her eyes…light up the room so much. The brilliant color of her coat shined in the dark too. Her lean and curved body enhanced her beauty to me even more so. And to top it off, her soft, understanding voice always had a tone of care and feeling for me…_

"_Hm. It looks like our friend is having some fun of her own over there…speaking of fun…"_

"_When are we finally going to have some more…PHYSICAL fun with her, me? It's probably the only reason we allowed her to follow us around, isn't it?"_

_The very sound of his voice in my head was like poison burning my mind. The message it delivered like the death sentence for a king to me. _

_Damn it. It's gone through my head before, I must admit it. Doesn't that kind of thought go through everyone's head at one time or another? I valued the friendship we already had, and I didn't and still don't want to ruin it by trying something like that with her…It would be just too soon. _

_Sure, someday I might like to…maybe…have a litter with her…_

_But the strain it would put on her would be too much, especially during this war. Besides…I was and am content with the relationship we have now. She seems happy, and I'm happy with it. _

_Until she says that she's ready for something like that, I'll respect her for it… _

"_Is there something wrong, Shadow?"_

_My thoughts were broken by her voice. _

_I didn't want to worry her, so I told her everything was fine. She smiled at me and turned over on her bed, dozing off. This left me to ponder for a while:_

_She loved me. _

_ME…_

…

_I was standing in a river, confused at everything that had happened. I had stormed off from Bolt, leaving him, Raika and Light behind by a crashed Rocket fighter plane. _

_My own past came to haunt me in those thoughts. Every truth they told me, now like fragments of shattered glass in my mind. Shattered truths were revealed for the lies they really were. _

_And now I was left with nothing. What was I supposed to look forward to now? The image of myself in that mirror they had created for me had broken; the mirror image of what I should be broke into shards like everything else. _

_I noticed that Light was approaching from the grass at the bank._

_Cold water splashed from the movement of my legs. At the shore I sent a charge over my body to dry myself, hearing Light greet me. _

_I told how I was feeling: depressed. Absolutely miserable…_

…_I just…didn't know what to do now. _

_Like I had said before, I had no cause now. No reason to continue in the face of my situation. It pained me like nothing I had ever experienced before._

_It just wasn't fair. I was a puppet to Team Rocket all along, nothing more. Even if I did try to turn on them, the Kanto Army would instead shoot me on sight. _

_And worst of all, I was losing myself. _

_I could feel it within; the dark aura within waiting to be released once more. The knowledge that every time I unleashed it, I lost more and more of myself to that power. That power was the the reflection of me, smiling and staring back at me when we were in Pallet. I could hear the haunting sound of his voice in my head:_

"_I am the darkest part of you."_

_Tears fell from my eyes, hitting the cool sand beneath me. I had never shown tears before, nor did I let the sadness ever get the better of me…but this time, it was too much. _

_All I had been had come to nothing. Everything I had fought for was an illusion. And the worst part: _

_My life in itself was a lie. _

…_But then I felt her arms around me, consoling the broken spirit within me. I could only stare out at the red sun over the horizon as she brought me closer:_

"…_I will help you through anything… and I don't care what happens to me…"_

"…_You can call yourself tool, fake, lie, or whatever. You'll always be real enough to me…"_

"…_I'll always be with you…"_

…

_There was fighting brewing within the clans. _

_Several Pichu from both had gone missing, and they each believed the other clan was to blame. _

_We divided up and went searching for them, for some sign of them. _

_But…_

_Throughout the whole searching, I found nothing. Even as the skies above took on dark blue shades and the moon came out, I found nothing. _

_To make it worse, it had begun to rain. _

_I always had the feeling about myself that if it began to rain when I out, something bad was bound to happen. It had happened in the Pallet Ruins, for instance, when I first saw and fought the Ethereals. It had happened just recently when I first met my AntiReal._

_So the question was whether or not something bad would happen._

_To compound this, the rain had this affect on me to have me think back on all my mistakes. The rain had always carried a dreary feeling with it for me. When it rained I always believed that either nature or Kyogre was trying to mess with me._

_The scent of wet soil wafted through my nose. Streams of water pattered down from the leaves above me, in the trees. All around large puddles began to form on the ground…_

_I saw a light shade of yellow. _

_It had stepped out from behind a tree ahead of me, and was now sitting down beneath the edge of a bush. It's ear were triangular, and it seemed to have an L-shaped tail behind it. It looked very much like…a Pichu._

_I jogged towards it, hearing sobbing sounds coming from the small 'Chu. I bent my head low to meet its eyes, assuring its safety to it, and that I was there to help…_

_However, what I saw in its eyes shocked me, its face turning up towards me with a sinister smile: Its eyes were completely light-emerald, glowing with ominous energy._

_I heard a sound like knives unsheathing. Jumping back from it, I saw that it had swiped metallic claws at me, each at least six inches in length. _

_But that's not all that alarmed me…_

"_Zero?"_

_It stood straight up, chuckling to itself. _

"…_We killed him…"_

_Then, right in front of my eyes, that strange Pichu shape-shifted, its ears growing narrow and its tail forming a thunderbolt pattern like any other Pikachu. The glow of bright emerald dimmed into a chaotic bright scarlet. A tuft of fur rose over its right eye and a torn, leather collar with a red 'R' appeared around its neck…_

_AntiShadow._

…

_I grew angrier with each taunt he made to me…every word that crawled from his mouth bit like the fangs of an Arbok. The very sound of this fiend's voice was enough…but in claiming to actually be ME…_

_That was where I drew the line. HE was not ME. I am me, and no one else is. _

_However, I decided to 'play along' with his claim. _

_I told him about how much I hated the fact that I had just been used…and thus, I said that he must've hated that too. _

_But it was nothing to him either way. The way he responded made me believed he just simply shrugged it off. He insulted me for the pain I had. He mocked the tears I had shed before, all because they made me seem weak to him._

_But then, he crossed the line:_

"_What, are we about to cry again?"_

"_Do you want me to go and get our precious Light for you so you can cuddle up like some pup to its mother? Ha ha!"_

_The pressure I felt as his neck smashed into the tree behind where he had stood was enormous: the sheer force I had used had knocked several branches of it. Even with this, he smiled:_

"_Did a certain word slip, me? Maybe…"_

"_LIGHT?"_

_I seized his neck and slammed him into a tree behind. Dark aura flared up around me as I screamed into his face, forming a blackish sphere of energy around me. But he continued to spew razor-sharp remarks at me, his eyes filled with insanity._

_I swung him back in a semi-circle, immediately Thunderpunching him when he tried to recover. With each hit I gave him my temper flared even more. Dark energy rushed from my body with each brutal punch, ending with a roar as I smashed one last fist into his chest. He went flying back, cracking a tree upon impact and making it fall over him. I stood, fuming with dark energy still crackling around me…_

_Then I heard his laughter. He ripped through the downed trunk he was under and stood out on the outer branches of the fallen treetop. Another strike of lightning lit up the air... _

"…_Minus this collar around my neck…We are the same…"_

"_WE ARE ONE."_

…

_I heard explosions and the sounds of energy racing through the air all around. Bolt ran through the chaos alongside me, a Pichu we had saved minutes before riding along on his back, scared out of her wits. _

_Ethereals attacked the hundreds of 'Chus all around us, unearthly screeches issuing from their mouths each time they slashed at a 'Chu, either missing or slicing bloody wounds into them. _

_Suddenly a massive beam of white energy shot out from my left, ripping apart Ethereals that had been in front of me. Even more surprisingly, the massive ray had come from Light. _

_I turned to face her, and was instantly shocked by her eyes. They were a glowing, brilliant white that had both her usual, mellow caring and at the same time, they were fierce and powerful. Bright aura surrounded her entire body, like a great white fire. _

"…_I'm sorry that we have to meet again under these circumstances, Shadow…"_

_Her voice echoed, layered with Light's serious and another's calm voice. Behind a great BOOM seemed to shake the ground. All at once I noticed that the many, many ethereal had stopped attacking and were now looking towards the source of the sound. _

_Another crack sounded in the sky as Light rushed toward the source, before I could call after her. Saying one or two expletives under my breath, I ran after her. _

_She stopped several yards away from a ball of black energy that was gathering in the air. Getting on all fours, she stared up to the sphere: _

"_There you are."_

_Ethereals around us dropped into the ground as the sphere created one last shockwave before dissipating. Dark energy crackled all around as a single figure floated down to the ground, feet touching and its arms out before it finally touched the ground. Red eyes with black rings around white pupils stared at me and her. _

_The figure smiled at us, even as both began charging electricity all around us. _

_Before us stood the answer to this attack:_

_Marxus._

…

_He was the one responsible for those Pichu disappearing…_

…_He had taken their very souls._

_Light, Bolt, Raika, Raisen and I stood there in shock as Marxus displayed the glowing spheres floating above his paw. I could hear small cries coming from them. And all through this Marxus was smiling like the maniac he was. _

_Light demanded him to release them. _

_He glared at her, his smile lessening but not completely disappearing from his mouth. Like me, he apparently didn't expect HER to say that:_

"…_But then again, you're not really Light herself, are you…"_

"_No, I am not. You know that very well, Marxus. And you know exactly who I am, don't you?"_

_With his free paw the demon-Lucario quickly charged dark energy…_

"_I know who you are…Lightforce."_

…_They had energy attacks colliding with each other. Around the center of collision the very space was getting disfigured. Ground was curling up into the gray area. Sighing, Marxus dodged the last of Lightforce's attack and chuckled. _

_Moments after Raika interrupted him from speaking a second time, Marxus had grabbed her from behind and had her choking against his arm, with his chest spike pressing down on the top of her head. _

_Bolt yelled angrily at him:_

"_Let go of her!"_

_But instead, Marxus grinned one more before yelling something in some unknown language…_

…_and ripped Raika's soul from her. _

_I snapped at the very mention of her 'joining' his collection of souls. I was not about to let him take her, like he had done with the Pichu. _

_Lightforce, Bolt and Raisen all readied themselves next to me. Looking down at all of us, Marxus threw the ring of souls up to the sky, circling while he spoke:_

"…_If you manage to defeat me, I will give you back the souls…"_

_Marxus laughed as more energy began to pour into his paws, all while I charged dark energy and electricity over myself. Lightforce did the same, except with white energy…_

"…_however, if I defeat you…"_

_Electricity formed one, unified sphere over all of us. Teeth clenched, I put my hind leg back, ready to spring..._

"…_I will take your souls as well."_

…

_The battle went on and on. Raisen had fallen during the very beginning of the battle. The rest of us, however, refused to submit to Marxus…_

…_But he was not letting up either. Wave after wave of his power came at us. Swift and devastating attacks tore the meadow apart, piece by piece. _

_He stopped time for a while, so he could get no 'interference' from the 'Chus fighting Ethereals at the side of the meadow. I had been thrown into a nightmarish void, where all I felt was the final blows I had given so many that I had killed while with Team Rocket, all the while being tormented by their voices. _

_Adrenaline continually pumped through me. If I stopped for even a second, Marxus would surely kill me. At the same time, I had to keep attacking in any way I could. _

_Electricity danced all around me with each Thunderpunch or Volt Tackle I charged at him with. Bolt's Lightning Blade twirled in the air with him as he distracted Marxus for Lightforce to charge an attack using both of our energy…_

_A blinding beam exploded from her paws, streaking through the air before ripping into Marxus. _

_Moments later when my sight returned I could see smoke trailing in heavy volumes from the crater, churned ground all around it. Dust hung in the air as another strike of lightning hit the dome Marxus had erected over us. _

_We all watched the crater with anxiety before Marxus blasted out with a trail of debris in his wake. I could see blood plopping down from his forehead as he raised himself to face us, still smiling:_

"_White and dark energy, combined…truly, a chaotic mixture…powerful enough…to cause even me this much physical damage…"_

_Bolt had somehow shielded both of his downed siblings from the blast. He was to the right of Marxus from mine and Lightforce's position. Looking over both of them, Bolt shifted his view to Marxus when he raised his arm to charge another dark sphere in his paw. _

_My already sore body tensed up again, ready to sprint away from this attack. The sphere continued to charge in his paw, with rings beginning to revolve around it. When the center of it began to glow, Marxus laughed as he brought his arm back…_

…_and spun around to throw it at a large crowd of fleeing 'Chus. _

_The sheer sight of so many 'Chus dying and screaming lit dark energy all around me. The sound of Marxus laughing at it, however…_

_Made me and Bolt completely SNAP._

_Both of us rushed at Mzrxus, cursing him with each earth-shattering Iron Tail or Thunderpunch we smacked into him. _

_Black aura smashed into him from my Shadow Flare. More and more the ground was cut as the fallout of Marxus's earlier attack kept raining down in small sparks. _

_Recovering from a Dark Aura attack Marxus hit me with, Bolt hastily told me to go with Lightforce. She, in turn was already behind me, asking me to go with her… _

_Bolt was fighting him valiantly. He rushed around and over Marxus several times, dodging nearly every counter or strike Marxus had to offer. Even when Marxus used a Reversal to instantly appear from behind Botl continued to fight, true to the fact that he was, after all, a Master's Pokémon…_

_On the other hand, Lightforce had grabbed my paw. I let her take as much dark energy from me as she needed to. With painstaking care, she released my paw and steadied her arm to aim at Marxus. _

_By this time I could see that Bolt was absolutely exhausted. He had bitten down into Marxus's arm, refusing to give in. _

_But Marxus would have none of it. The next I saw Marxus had slammed Bolt into a rock jutting from the ground. Alarmed and angered further, I rushed in to meet Marxus, while Lightforce came rushing in behind with her energy attack. _

_Marxus ran to get me first. With a powerful wind-back, Marxus punched at me. Only through sheer determination was I actually able to hold his punch, keeping his arm in place: _

"_This would be unexpected of your species, Shadow…"_

"_How very FREAKISH…"_

_I swung off his paw to try to strike with my Iron Tail. Instead, he ducked before slamming his fist into my back, sending me flying into the air. _

_More pain ripped through my back. My fists clenching in the air, I launched more electric attacks at Marxus, giving Lightforce just enough time to get within range of him…_

_She screamed something else in that unknown language, just before her paw met Marxus's chest. _

_I was thrown even higher into the air, followed by waves of rubble and rock from the ground as the explosive force of the attacks blinded me…_

_I regained my senses far from where they both stood, glaring at each other. From my distance I could only see silhouettes. I slowly began to walk towards them, seeing both suddenly hunch over, the shorter of the two falling onto all fours…_

_...Marxus stood bleeding heavily, beginning to chuckle despite the fountain of blood pouring from him. Opposite him, Lightforce breathed just a heavily as he did. I coldly told him to just die already. His reply was simple, and sinister:_

"_Not…yet…"_

_He stepped back and began to charge an enormous amount of dark energy into himself. Pieces of rock beneath me rose up, crackling from the power. Suddenly things began to get sucked INTO the great sphere he had encased himself in. Waves of energy exploded from it with each piece of forest that rushed into it. _

_Lightforce ran to my side once more, yelling for me to let her take my power again. I hesitated, knowing what she planned to do:_

_Jump straight into the black hole. _

_She screamed my name. Relenting, I grabbed her paw and fired as much of my dark power into her…_

_Moments later she released my paw, hearing the faint sound of Marxus laughing. _

_Yelling a battle cry, the silvery form of my power and hers enveloped her as she dove into the sphere…_

_The next minutes were blurry…_

_But they were there. _

_Marxus was there on the ground, motionless in a pool of his own blood. Across from him Lightforce was barely standing on all four legs. _

_My left leg dragged slightly in the dust when I made my way towards her tired form. She looked up towards me, breathing even more heavily than I was; both of us were covered in bruises and scars. Weird twitches were going through both of us, however she looked more like she was about to drop than me. But we both stared into each other's eyes, speechless though obviously thankful for the other's help. _

_From behind, Bolt dragged himself forward, holding a paw to his head with his tail raised, almost limp behind him. Looking over the corpse, he looked to Lightforce:_

"…_You…you did it…"_

"…_HA…"_

_We all took a step back as we heard Marxus's weak laugh. _

_Impossible…how he was still alive was unknown…_

_But he seemed to know he was going to die…because he began to mock us. _

_He tempted me to actually go up and kill him. I angrily ran up and punched him, only for him to madly tell me to continue and laugh at me. _

_Bolt held me back, demanding why the demon was doing all this:_

" _This world…is nothing BUT a game…you live your life, enduring hardships day after day…and what do you get out of it? _

…_Death. No matter how much you try, no matter what you try to do to stop it…you end up…passing on into the abyss…"_

_We all saw that his body was beginning to ignite into black flames. Even when he looked at them, he just continued on:_

"_I have killed, destroyed, and manipulated both people and Pokémon…all for the reason of making them see how useless they truly are…and once they see, they are far more willing to do things…that would entertain me…"_

"…_And in it all, I have found that all life is nothing…nothing more than being completely pitiful. To seek eternal life to avoid death is just even more pitiful…by denying death, you only waste yourself away even further…"_

…_He turned his head to look at me, smiling still despite the fact that his face was beginning to go up in the black inferno:_

"…_It was fun…to give you nothing more…than a life of lies…"_

"…_SHADOW…"_

"…_Your nightmare…is just beginning…"_

…_Looking up, I saw the ring of souls begin to circle faster before dispersing, going down to the Earth to find their bodies. One shot down to the forest behind us, where I believe Raisen had taken Raika's body…_

…

_What I remember next is myself waking up the next morning to Light, sleeping soundly in the bed by mine. I stood over her, wondering who it was who had really helped us there yesterday…_

_Her, or 'Lightforce'…_

…_or both. _

…_Outside I saw many, many 'Chus of both clans, working together to replant the meadow that had been torn apart by the battle the last night. Some were trying to help those who were still wounded by the trees…_

_Raika approached from behind, thanking me for helping Bolt and Light to save both her and the others from Marxus. There was already a lot of talking about me, she said._

…_heh. I was a hero. _

_I still don't know whether I should be given the title or not. Even after I ahd a bit of revelations in the forest. Even after I had a final talk with her and Raisen before having to say goodbye…_

…_But I know I can achieve it now. _

_I've thought it over for myself. I can fix everything now. As long as I believe that I can do it, without letting the other Kanto men knowing who I really am…_

_I know that I can fix it all…_

…_and as long as Light is at my side as well, I won't give in._

…

Gray and white cinders piled below the wood that had been put in by Ash from a small pile he had to his right. The flame still burned brightly, illuminating all their faces in the night.

The Master had his eyes closed in thought, hand to his chin. All three of the 'Chus looked to him, waiting for him to say something.

"…You've been through a lot…both of you have…" He said while raising his head, eyes hovering over Shadow and Light.

"And yet your will is still strong as ever. What I saw in both of you was true…and if you can go through all that you've struggled through up to now…"

"…Then I know you'll be able to face whatever comes in your futures."

Sorry if it seems to be a filler-type thing. I just wanted to allow you to imagine how Shadow himself would feel within, telling his 'tale' to Ash and Bolt.

Anyway, I hoped you liked it!


	5. Chpt IV: Poisoned

This one may seem creepy in some ways. Go ahead and see what I mean!

Chapter IV: Poisoned

"…_She's stable now…"_

"_No, this subject can take more, I know it. Give her another dose." _

_EEEEF!_

"_Tighten the restraints! Make sure that it cannot get free at all…*cough*_

…_and give it a shocking while you're at it."_

"_U…Understood! Utilizing electrocution, voltage level at 50,000!" _

_AAAEEENNGH! EEEE!_

"_Hmph…foolish creature. Can't you be thankful for being one of the lucky test subjects for MY new type of SEED? _

_*cough*…After all it's just making you stronger, though I'd have to say you're still losing your mind…"_

_BAAAAH! EEEY! _

"_Although I'm sure you've already gone mad by now…that's why I'm using you. Despite how long you've been in our captivity you're still somewhat healthy. _

_*cough*…Too bad that your sanity finally broke…otherwise I might actually try to ask what you think, but you don't think clearly anymore, do you?"_

_AAAY! AAAAAAY!_

"_Urgh…Intelligence is still deteriorating…*cough*but the skin and the bones do appear to be growing with the muscle, now. It seems that the human and Pokémon variants of the drugs are near perfection, now…_

_*cough*…I just need to make some more tweaks. Until, then, we can just send some of these mindless behemoths to terrorize and crush the Kanto Army fools…*cough*"_

"…_Oh, and I thank you for your 'cooperation', dear specimen. You have just aided one of the greatest minds in the world, after all."_

_EEEEE! _

"_Shock it to sleep."_

"_Yes, Namba sir. Utilizing electrocution, voltage level sustaining at 50,000!" _

_LEEEAF!_

…

September 27, 2061 2:55 a.m.

_Thank Arceus for natural night-vision…_

Bushels of high grass rose all around Shadow and Light, who were side-by-side with their chests to the ground. Just ahead of them, Sentinel and his Umbreon were also to the ground, the Pokémon obscured by the color of her fur itself, and Sentinel by his ghillie suit.

They were all part of a team now, to be exact KAM-TS Spec Ops Unit 7. Their group had been formed specifically by Ash himself. And, differing from his experience in Team Rocket, they were in the field nearly all the time.

Shadow had come to be unquestioning of Sentinel's extraordinary skill as a marksman. Just the day before he had witnessed Sentinel bring up his weapon and in the very same moment drop two grunts at once. Within that span of seconds Sentinel had looked into the scope of his sniper rifle and had blown holes clean through the remaining four grunt's heads.

On the other hand, the Umbreon, who had told that her name was Sollus, was quite adept at sneaking up behind opponents and viciously attacking with deadly accuracy when it came to ripping grunt's and Pokémon's throats out. The thing about her attacks was that they were usually almost silent.

He and Light, on the other hand, would go in and take the grunts and their Pokémon on in close range with their electrical and physical attacks.

Shadow smiled at the thought of this team; a headhunter who could kill from a distance without too much effort, a predator who made no sound when sneaking up and even more soundlessly killing its victims, and himself and Light disorienting and killing enemies from up-close to where they could not efficiently counter.

"…Pulse, Light, move up." Sentinel whispered, just barely looking back at them with his night vision goggles obscuring his eyes, much like the balaclava covering the rest of his face.

…And still, like nearly every other Kanto soldier, Sentinel was ignorant of Shadow's true identity. Of course, he hoped to keep it that way.

At least until he could prove that he was truly on their side, anyway.

The semi-dry grass spread out around him as he quickly but carefully moved to Sentinel's side. On the other side Light had crawled up next to Sollus, both peering ahead.

Shadow shifted his neck around, feeling the camouflaged nylon collar pressing slightly on his neck. It was different than the leather collar he had been used to wearing, especially the feel of it.

Light and Sollus also had similar collars on too, though Sollus's was more worn out. All had a small, metal plate fixed into the fabric that read KAM-TS.

"Do any of you sense anything around us?" Sentinel whispered once more while looking through his rifle's scope.

Ears perking up, Shadow listened, taking in all of the surrounding sounds.

A low wind was blowing through. Grass folded slightly in waves with the breeze. All around he could hear the Pokémon in the trees, shifting around…

Footsteps. Heavy, forceful footsteps that could just barely be heard to the north, accompanied by the sound of smaller footsteps and rattling chains. By the exact sound, Shadow deduced that it was some large, bipedal Pokémon, such as a Machamp that was being led by humans. Then there was another group, to their immediate northeast…

(Do you hear that, Pulse?)

(I hear it, Sollus. What about you, Light?)

(It's a group north of here…one of them is big…then the smaller group over here.)

Nodding to them both, Shadow looked up to Sentinel. "There's a group far north of us with something huge with them. From the sounds of it…they have this thing in chains. Then there's another group that's almost right on us to our northeast"

"We'll check the closer group. The thing with the other group is probably just a large Pokémon. Either way, we should go check it out after we take down this other squad."

Sentinel pressed himself into the grass further, looking out to the direction of the closer sounds.

Sollus made a low growl. Sentinel raised his hand to respond, making hand signals that told Shadow and Light to go far left, while Sollus was to go right.

Brush fell under his paws, separating to his sides until he was out of it, with Light tailing close behind him. (Light, let's go into the bushes.)

(Okay, I'm right behind you.)

Sentinel watched his Umbreon quietly rush to the right, somehow making no noise through the grass. Sentinel himself looked around for a moment, and then backed up until he was poking out from behind a tree.

Meanwhile, Sollus crept into the grass ahead of where she saw three Rockets approaching. Growling to herself, she bit lightly on the radio button that was hooked up between her right molars.

The translator did its work through the tiny microphone that hooked her up to her team's channel. (Sentinel, I see three of them directly ahead of me. Do I have permission to engage?)

On the other line, Sentinel already had a visual of the three men that were approaching. "Negative, I have a clear shot of them. Pulse, Light, you two stay put too. I'll take these three…"

"…on second thought, we could use some information. I'll just wound one of them. Pulse, when you hear the last shot, run up to him and make sure he's out cold."

A sound like three soft drumbeats shot through the air, each followed by a stifled cry except for the last, which produced a yell. Even as he heard the last, silenced bullet, he rushed through the bush to where the bodies hit the ground. On the ground, he found all but one with a hole in their heads.

He quickly spotted the living grunt and ran up to his face. Raising a paw full of electrcity, he was about to slam it into the man's forehead before he saw his face illuminated in the light of his energy. At the same time, the grunt also somewhat silenced, wide eyed as he covered the hole on in his chest.

Shadow knew this man…

…and this man knew Shadow.

"…Darrel…?"

"…No way…" Darrel replied, shaking from the pain of the bloody wound. Sweat was already running down in tanned face, and Shadow noticed that there was a newer cut that was sliced across his chin.

"…Sha-!" "Shut it." Shadow said while smacking a static-filled paw into Darrel's face. Teeth clenched, Darrel convulsed as electricity shocked him, teeth grinding against each other as his eyes rolled up. Finally, Shadow took his paw off Darrel, discharging small trails of electricity.

His former ally's eyes closed while a sigh escaped his lips.

Shadow looked back to Darrel's leg as sparks sprayed up from it. Curious, Shadow tilted his head and lifted Darrel's pant leg from the boot up…

Shadow gasped at the sight of the cold, robotic leg that was underneath, going all the way up to Darrel's knee. Under the protective layer of hard plastic, Shadow could see and assortment of wires and metal plating that almost matched the construction of regular human bone and tissue. The outer plastic itself had some plates covering it, especially on the front of the leg. From the way the synthetic limb was constructed, it looked like it could be used as naturally as a real leg.

Shadow remembered back: Darrel had broken his leg back when they were fighting through Celadon, after he had been caught in the collapse of a building. Hell, Darrel had been lucky to even be alive…

"…They didn't give you time to heal…they just decided to saw off your damn leg and give you a new one…"

A beep came across the radio attached to his collar. Shadow sighed as he put a paw to the radio. "Sentinel, he's out. Come on over."

"Good. I'll be right there. All form up."

His paw slid off the radio and just about swung back to his side. The leaves behind him rustled as Light came through, followed by Sollus who approached through the grass from the east, signaled only by the multitude of yellow rings on her body. Shadow could see Light make a nervous face when she saw Darrel, but she otherwise said nothing. Sollus quietly made her away to Darrel's head and sat at the foot of his helmeted scalp.

A living mass of leaves jumped over another bush near where Light came from, sniper rifle in hand. Quickly, he took the pack he had under his ghillie suit out and began to use gauze from it to treat the wound he gave Darrel. Watching, Shadow looked from Darrel's face to Sentinel's sniper rifle, then to the corpses of the other Rockets who had holes through their heads.

Shadow nearly shuddered. _Sentinel could've easily killed him…_

…_But…I'm…_

He shook his head. _I'm not supposed to care anymore…he's an enemy now, but…_

…_I still don't think I'd be able to bring myself to kill him…_

"…So what should we do with him, Sentinel?"

"Whatever command wants us to do with him. I'll contact them now…while I'm doing this, all of you keep an eye out for anyone or anything that could be more Rockets."

Sollus immediately backed away from Darrel and turned, walking a short distance away to hide behind a tree, peeking out from the corner of it. At the same time Light jumped into the bushes ahead of her, leaving Shadow to stand there.

Shadow glanced at his old friend nervously before turning and walking a small distance away, carefully scanning the area. Behind him, he could hear Sentinel talking into his radio:

"Tango Sierra Charlie, this is KAM-TS Spec Ops Unit 7-Actual, we have detained a Team Rocket soldier from Shock Squadron Unit…6." Sentinel said while looking to the badge that was on Darrel's shoulder, seeing the Roman numeral 'VI' on it under the stylized letters 'TR-SS'.

"What would you like us to do with him?"

Shadow's ear twitched, trying to hear some of the words that were being said back. Unable to decipher exactly what was being said, he grew unnerved. Sure, he might be able to deal with Darrel being killed now…but the initial shock he would have might just blow his cover.

"Roger Charlie, we'll restrain the grunt and put a beacon on him for your search to pick up. The rest of Unit 7 and I will continue our mission."

A beep came from the radio as it turned off. "Okay you three. We're just going to hide this guy in the bushes so the search squads can come find him. Otherwise, we'll continue searching ahead."

…Shadow shook his fur out after climbing out of the bush. Looking back, he could see Darrel's body lying flat under the foliage, with a small device on his chest that was barely visible in the night even with Shadow's natural night-vision.

"Okay…Let's go check out that other group you all had heard before." Sentinel said, motioning with his arm and walking, with Sollus right behind him. Light was about to go with them, when she noticed Shadow hesitating to go on and instead looking to the bush.

(…) (You still care about him, don't you Shadow…)

He nodded woefully. (He was a friend to me, Light…we may have had our differences, but I truly respect him…)

(I know I'm not supposed to see him as a friend anymore, but…he was…one of the first friends I ever had, along with you. I just can't believe that I have to fight him now.)

(I know it's hard to accept Shadow, I really do. But…there's almost nothing we can do about it. You can only hope that he complies with the interrogators…otherwise…)

He continued to look down to Darrel. Even with the feeling of her arm on his shoulder, he was unresponsive. Frowning, Light put the side of her head to his, speaking softly:

(I'm sorry Shadow, but you're just going to have to move on.)

(…)

The sound of Sentinel's voice came through Shadow's and Light's collar radios.

"Let's get a move on, you two."

Light lifted her head from his shoulder, letting his ears droop down. His sad, reddish-brown eyes stayed upon Darrel for a few moments before turning and beginning to walk again, a sympathetic Light at his side.

(…I'll get over it eventually.)

…

"_Let's see here…"_

"…_ah, it…THEY appear to be sleeping right now. How very soothing."_

"…_Sir, we have the results of the tests you asked for." _

_*cough* "Ahk…tell me. How did this thing do?" _

"_Very well, sir. It killed all of its targets in less than twenty seconds. Four were incinerated, five were electrocuted to death, and the other four were frozen solid, then shattered."_

"_As…*cough*…expected from a creation of this caliber…who would've known that we could successfully combine the three creatures together? I for one could tell that none of those weak fools in Kanto would even dare to do what I have accomplished with this…"_

_AAAIIIIEEEE!_

_*cough* "…it is awake, at last. Look now at your creator, beast! I am your master, and until I say so you shall be in service to me and Team Rocket as a whole!"_

"_Sir, we fitted the submission collar on it as you wished."_

"_Good, give me the collar control…I can't have it screeching at us all through the night, can I?"_

_EEEEIIIII!_

"_Ha ha! Submit, submit now to*cough*…your maker! You will soon learn to respect me, monster! Otherwise you, like all the other subversive subjects, shall die!"_

"…_Oh, so you want to glare at me then…*cough*… Fine, but unfortunately for you, I am the one with the control to that collar on your…necks. Screech as much as you want, but you can do nothing..."_

_AAAAIIIII!_

"…_continue to annoy me with your…ha, HARMONIOUS music…and you will soon enough know what it's like to have *cough*…_

…_nerve gas in your system."_

…

"Even I'm starting to hear the stomping sound…" Sentinel whispered while peering out from behind a tree, with the other three hidden. Through the scope of his rifle, Sentinel could see an armored vehicle with an 'R' on its side stopped on the side of a small dirt roadway. The green silhouettes of six Rocket grunts appeared out from the left, dragging someone to the side of the vehicle.

Adjusting his night vision goggles, Sentinel could see the outline of a Kanto flag on the man's shoulder, with a 'private' insignia right below it. His face was bloodied up, and both of his hands were cuffed behind his back.

The stomping noise came again.

Sentinel shifted his view left to see a battered and blood-covered Dragonair being carried over the shoulder of a…

Sentinel blinked, refocusing his view and adjusting his optics slightly, zooming in on the thing carrying the dragon Pokémon.

"…What the hell is that?"

It looked like a massive human, with glowing orange eyes glaring crazily at the Dragonair he was carrying. Standing at least ten feet tall by Sentinel's estimate, the monster had large, bony claws emerging from his fingers and his toes. The muscle mass he had was enormous; it looked to be even greater than that of a Machamp. Small blood vessels in his arms and legs stood out from the muscular limbs, almost pulsating. Broken chains hung off of two restraints that were on his wrists, and off a single iron ring that was closed around his neck.

"Do you guys see that?"

"We see it…" Shadow replied, truly amazed by the behemoth of a human that he and Light stared at, speechless from their position in a tree by the road. Both of them shuddered when they saw the monster easily toss the Dragonair off of his shoulder and onto the hard dirt road, next to the Kanto soldier.

"Ha…dumb dragon think it could beat me! Not now, because I stronger!" The thing bellowed triumphantly, attracting nervous glances from the Rocket grunts he was with.

"What! You scared of me too? I would also be scared of me if I were you!"

"Uh, yeah, yeah, you're…fucking scary, terrifying…" The calmer of the grunts said, turning his head to look down at the Kanto soldier they had caught.

"Listen here, buddy. You gave my friend here a couple god hits in his chest, and he's not too happy about it. Here's what I'm going to do: I'm gonna let you choose between the 'normal' guys here beating you to death, or you can choose to let our big friend here 'play around' with you…"

Weak rumbling noises emerged from the Dragonair's mouth. The Rocket lifted his gun up and walked back to the Dragon Pokémon, smirking. "You don't want to see your master die? Fine, I'll let him watch YOU die instead."

"Sentinel, we have to do something." Shadow urged through the radio, watching the Rocket motion for the giant to grab the Dragonair.

"I know…Okay, listen. You, Light and Umbreon will-

"Her name's Sollus, just so you know." Shadow interrupted, still watching the giant begin to approach the horrified Dragonair with heavy, menacing steps.

"…Sollus? So that's her name, then…anyway you, Light and Sollus will kill the three soldiers closest to that private. I'll get the other three and the…whatever the hell that guy is. On my mark…"

"Three…"

"Two…"

"So, I get to crush dragon, then? Fine, I rough it up then kill it after a while." The monster roared as the Kanto soldier watched helplessly,. Slowly, the monster picked up the Dragonair's slim blue body with his gigantic, muscular hand…

(Thunderbolt!)

Shadow and Light landed on the ground together, two paws pressed together to unleash one massive surge of lightning at two of the Rockets. A Third behind them fell back in surprise, hastily reaching for his rifle when a black blur sped up to him, reforming into Sollus on his lap.

"What the-AKH!" He yelled after she gave him a playful, innocent look before viciously tearing into his throat. Behind him splashes of blood fell to the ground as the other three grunts were struck by hard lead.

Sentinel picked off the last Rocket he targeted, and then he focused his scope on the monster's brow. The thing watched almost confusedly, lowering the Dragonair he had in his arms. Steadying, Sentinel shot.

"OW! Who did that?" The monster yelled as several shards of metal rebounded off his skull in fragments of the bullet they once were.

_What?_

Sentinel quickly fired two more shots at the monsters head. Again, the shots simply blasted apart upon hitting his rock hard head, only infuriating the beast. It violently threw the Dragonair it was holding to the ground, looking viciously towards where Sentinel was hidden.

"_Is his head made of diamond or something? And I can't go for his neck, it's ringed by at least an inch of steel!" _

Shadow kicked one of the Rockets in the jaw, sending him into another that stumbled back after being electrocuted further by Light. Looking past her, Shadow could see that the monster was still standing, furious with his face muscles contorted into an angry frown.

"You…DIE!" The monster shouted before charging with his shoulder first into the forest, crashing through bushes and shattering trees to splinters while coming towards Sentinel like a bulldozer.

Sentinel hastily jumped out of the way of the monster, yelling "Holy shit!" as he felt a rain of wood fragments and leaves hit him in the wake of the thing's charge.

The mutant stomped a leg into the ground to stop himself, then he shifted around to face Sentinel. "You were shooting at me! I going to smash you!"

"HRRRRAAAAGH!" The monster bellowed as he grabbed the tree next to him, pulling with both of his massive arms to rip the trunk right out of the ground. As soil still clung to the roots, the orange-eyed monster charged at Sentinel with the tree raised high like a giant hammer.

_Fuck…_

_FUCK!_

Sentinel jumped to his feet and sprinted back to the road, looking back over his shoulder to see the mammoth swinging the tree wildly, smashing other trees out of the way of his rampage.

"Pulse, Light, electrocute this fucker NOW!" Sentinel yelled as he crossed out of the treeline and onto the road, followed closely by the tree-wielding mutant.

Shadow jumped back from the Rocket grunt he had just killed and dashed in towards the monster as he just barely exited the forest. Hiding his nervousness, Shadow roared as electricity exploded from his body and joined the surge that was already flowing from Light on the other side of him.

"UUAAGGH!"

The monster put his free arm to his head, but somehow kept running, veering off course of his target and charging blindly into the armored Rocket truck on the side of the road.

Shadow watched in shock as the behemoth tore its head out of the hole he had made in the truck's armor, shaking it out.

"What…that should've just stopped him in his tracks…!" Light said silently, taking a few steps to the side to position herself by Shadow again.

Sentinel raised his sniper rifle again, deciding to go for another part of the giant's body.

_If this guy's bone is bullet-proof…_

…_What about pure muscle?_

Sentinel fired his weapon twice again, smirking when he saw both missiles of hot lead tear bloody holes through the monster's calf muscles.

"AAAUGH! NO!" He yelled as he tumbled back, letting the massive tree he had in his hand smack into his head in the fall. The earth shook as he hit, causing many of the trees that were only visible through Sentinel's night vision to visibly shake.

His massive arms reached up for the trunk still on his head, throwing them off violently as he redirected himself towards them.

With many growling sounds, the monster clawed at the ground, trying in vain to lift himself back up. At this point all four of them were in awe, watching as the blood vessels on the thing pulsated even more…

"URK…!"

His claws stopped in their tracks, his orange eyes completely focused on all of them. Blood vessels continued to pulsate until blood began to run out of his ears and nose.

Completely motionless, the monster's head hit the ground. His muscles also began to shrink, along with his bones. When they were done all that was left in front of them was a normal, dead human. Suddenly, the side of his head where Sentinel had shot at earlier split open, allowing a mess of bone, brains and blood to pour out.

"…Okay, Sollus and I will help out that private, you and Light tend to the Dragonair over here!" Sentinel said, running right to the private who was slumped near the side of the truck, almost crushed by the remains of the tree. Meanwhile, Light and Shadow ran to the Dragonair's side, both shell-shocked by what they just saw.

(…Can you hear us?) Shadow asked, looking directly into the dragon Pokémon's face. It responded with a subtle shake of its head, making a weak growl as it slowly looked over him with glossed eyes. Meanwhile, Light was already at its side, white energy flowing from her paws into an area of its body near its neck that looked blackened from the sheer amount of bruising.

"Can you stand up at all, private?" Sentinel asked the soldier, receiving only a weak shake of the head and a glazed expression of exhaustion similar to his Dragonair's. Shakily, he pointed to a large hole in his leg that was around three inches wide.

"Okay, hold still. Can you talk at all? What unit are you from?"

"…3rd Army…Detachment…2." He answered slowly, fading in and out of consciousness as Sentinel and Sollus began to bandage his wounds while Light continued to heal the Dragonair…

…

"…That was…interesting…" Sentinel breathed out as Sollus took a few steps toward the dead human. Sniffing at him, she tilted her head. She blinked several times before turning back to them. (It smells like there's something in his blood…)

Shadow walked over and also sniffed at the fluids. Grimacing, he shook his head.

_Looks like someone's doing experiments in Namba's place…_

"…Sentinel, there's some sort of chemical in this guy's blood. It's probably the thing that made him like that."

Sentinel took off his pack again, barely able to see its contents despite his night-vision goggles. "I'm surprised he was able to see us…he didn't even have any kind of night vision on…"

"…Here." Sentinel said, pulling out a small vial with a cap on it and tossing it to Shadow. "Pulse, collect some of his blood…I think Xepher and Oak would like to see that."

As Shadow caught the vial, Sentinel looked to the Kanto private he was kneeling by while taking out his radio. "Tango Sierra Charlie, this is KAM-TS Spec Ops Unit 7-Actual, we need a MedEvac at my position for two wounded, a human and a Dragonair, how copy?"

"Alright, 7-Actual, just send out a beacon at your position. Are you sure you've cleared the area?"

"Affirmative, the forest round me is clear. Just hurry up so this Dragonair doesn't die on me, it looks pretty bad."

"Roger, we'll send the MedEvac immediately. Tango Sierra Charlie out."

Sentinel slid his radio back into its pouch, removing another small box from it. "Don't worry private, you and your Dragonair are going to be fine, just hold on a little longer."

(Light, I'm pretty sure that I know where that healing ability of yours came from, but since when have you known about it anyway?) Shadow asked when he saw her put her paws on another of the Dragonair's wounds, having a somehow healed the first one to where it was nearly gone.

She shook her head, eyes on the cut she had her paws over. (I've just…known how to do it. Ever since I can remember…)

(…I know what you're thinking, I'm thinking the same thing….)

(…I probably have this power…because of the other…side of me…)

(Yeah, I figured that…I have to ask you something about her…)

Light looked up to him. (Yes?)

Shadow scratched his head, his thunderbolt tail slightly down. (Who was it that was helping me and Bolt that night? Just her…)

(…or you too?)

Light looked to the cold, dark road while the sounds of metal chopping through the air began to vibrate through the air. Soon enough a bright spotlight shown through the trees, followed by a large helicopter with manned miniguns on its sides.

Looking up to the helicopter, Shadow heard Light finally reply:

(It was…both of us. Her power, her determination…

…and my will to keep you…and everyone else safe.)

The helicopter landed on the road, with three men with night vision immediately scrambling out. One went to the Dragonite and captured it within a Pokeball, while the other two immediately helped Sentinel get the private up.

One of them walked to the snapped tree in the road, then to the gaping hole in the side of the Rocket vehicle, then to the dead grunts on the ground. "What happened? You don't have a missile launcher on you…"

"That…that one over there was mutated into a monster. He was at least ten feet tall, maybe five hundred pounds, I swear to you." Sentinel replied, as serious as if he were at his own funeral. He reached for the top of his night vision goggles and pulled a small box with a lens on it from its top.

"This is a small video camera; it's recorded my entire mission tonight. I want you to see if you can get the video to command for them to see for themselves."

The soldier nodded, accepting the small black box from sentinel. "Got it…if you're telling the truth, then damn…how'd you take him down then?"

"I guess blunt force trauma finally got to him. I had shot him in the head three times and he was still up. His head had to be hard as diamond…the second blow he took did the trick. He was using that broken up tree trunk over there like a bat. When I shot out his calves the thing smashed on top of his head… he reverted after that, then his skull split open."

…

The rotors of the helicopter began to spin up again, with the private safely strapped to a stretcher on the inside. From where he stood, Shadow could see him looking to the Pokeball that held his Dragonite, while in front of him another soldier waved off to Sentinel.

"I'll get this to command as soon as possible. In the meantime we've noticed that some allied soldiers are heading this way, so that means the front's moving up. You know what that means."

"I know, we won't get caught in crossfire. We're going to regroup in the forest." Sentinel replied to him as the helicopter began to ascend, taking off into the south with a wiz of its propeller.

Looking at the Rocket corpses, Sentinel made a devious smile.

"If those Rocket's try to find these…" He said, reaching into his large pack. Seconds later, Shadow saw him pull out a pack of small white bricks and some smaller disks. Upon closer inspection, Shadow saw that the disks were field mines.

"C4 on top of the mines?" Shadow asked him. Sentinel nodded to him, rushing up to the first corpse he saw.

"These won't go off if it detects movement from Kanto personnel. If it detects movement from anything else, they'll go off…"

"…In other words you three, we have an ambush in the making here when those Rockets come for the bodies."

…

"_And now…_

…_the jewel of my return." _

"_Sir, he is almost ready. His body is almost completely restored; he just needs a small amount of time afterwards to get used to his new powers."_

"_Very good.*cough*…urgh, very good indeed…*cough!*_

…_agh, get me my medication!*cough*_

"_Yes sir."_

"…_*cough!* *cough!*"_

"…_agh…"_

"…_you are indeed strong now. Whether or not Marxus truly died or not will no longer be a problem…"_

"…_Shadow will not escape YOU…"_

"…_Not now…"_

"_And never again…"_

…

…

The Umbreon's name 'Sollus' means _full _or _whole_ in Latin.

…

…

So how was it? Give me your opinions!

…And how do you think these new 'creations' of Namba's are going to affect the future of the story?

Tell me what you think!


	6. Chpt V: Resurgence

Chapter V: Resurgence

September 27, 2061 1:01 p.m.

The room was cold as ice.

A single figure sat behind the glass; only identifiable from where the captive sat by its silhouette. With his hands and legs bound, he was only able to look up and down towards the glass. Of course, he was asleep at the moment…

"…Let us begin."

Wires strapped to the chair sent hundreds of volts into his body, jarring him awake with a plethora of curses and yells from the excruciating pain.

"*huff* *huff* Augh…what the…fuck…"

"Good evening, Rocket. Did you sleep well?" The feminine voice came through speaker overhead as the captive began to adjust to the light of the lamp above. Looking around himself, he tried to pull his arm out of the chair restraint…

Another charge went through him, stiffening his muscles once more. Within the moment the shock ended, allowing him to take in several ragged breaths.

"*huff*…where am I?"

The woman behind the glass bent her head to the microphone at the table she sat at. "You are under Kanto Army Marines custody, Rocket. I believe that you know why you're in this position now."

He gritted his teeth, extending and retracting his right fingers. "Yeah, I can tell…and I'm not telling you shit, bitch."

"Hmph. I suppose you liked the shocks I gave you then. I'll give you another if you don't want to talk…

…and by the way, I'm what you would call 'psychic'."

He eyed her nervously. "So that means…"

"That I can read your mind, yes. In other words, I may not be able to get information from your mind directly, but I can most definitely tell when you're lying and I can also take the information from you when you just think about it. So far I know that you are from Team Rocket Shock Squadron, Division Seven. Any chance that you might want to give me your name?"

"…Fine. It's Darrel. Happy?" He spat back, looking away. Up in the observation box the woman ran a hand through her long, dark hair. "It's a start, Darrel. Let's move on now."

…

"Pulse, are they advancing at all?"

"…No. They're still holding their position. Anything from Sollus?"

Shadow's radio went silent as he looked back towards the large group of Team Rocket soldiers who had been cautiously advancing to the road.

(What do you think we're going to do now, Light?)

(I suppose we'll just wait here until something makes a move, Sh-)

(Sh!) Shadow cut her off, patting his own collar warningly, over a small node on the radio part that had a green light on.

She quickly covered her mouth, ears drooping slightly. (Sorry…)

(It's okay…just be careful.)

Of course, Light had to get used to the fact that she couldn't refer to Shadow by name when the lights on the collars were on. Otherwise, his identity would certainly be revealed, and she didn't want that to happen.

Not at all.

They would probably take him away and put him in a cell somewhere. At the same time, she knew that if Sentinel found out he might just be glad to put a bullet through Shadow's head.

"…Sollus says that she hasn't seen any suspicious movement, but at the same time we shouldn't move either. What do you think?"

Shadow already had his eyes on the Rockets across the road before Sentinel was done speaking through the radio. Peering in closely, he noticed a group of three taking an object out of a large box. Light urgently tapped his shoulder before he could get a good look at the weapon, pointing in the other direction.

Small objects were in the air, hurdling towards them in the shape of huge bullets firing in an arc from the forest across the road…

"Sentinel, take cover! They've got mortars coming in!" Shadow said hurriedly into the radio while the first mortar penetrated the trees to their far right.

More shells began to arc up from the across the road, raining down in the area around them. Nervous sweat slid down their cheeks as more explosives came whistling through the air around them, blasting apart trees and lighting the grass aflame. The sound of a bass drum being hit hard reverberated through the air, returning with each boom of the exploding soda can-sized mortars.

Shadow and Light gasped as one fell down between the two limbs they were standing on. The tree vibrated violently with the explosion of gravel that spewed through the branches, followed by a yawing sound as the wooden trunk began to snap under them.

(To the tree behind us, come on!) Shadow ordered quickly while turning tail, feeling the trunk begin to fall to the Earth.

The branches in front of them swung towards them. With a grunt, both Shadow and Light flew out of the tree to the one behind it. Below them the tree they had been on crashed into the road, and the trunk began to glow with orange flames. All around the forest gray smoke began to rise from the many fires that were being set, and trunks continued to crack and shatter with each hit they took from a shell.

The whistling above stopped, leaving Shadow and Light to breathe heavily. Light spread aside a branch to look outside the canopy, seeing the Rockets begin to advance onto the road near the corpses, albeit cautiously.

"Sentinel, you there?" Shadow said into the collar radio.

"I'm here. Damn Rockets…are you and Light okay?"

"We're fine…I don't think they saw me and Light jumping to the another tree when the one we were in went down…

…Sentinel, they're moving towards the bodies."

"Got it…let's see how big a bang these mines make then…hold on…"

The Rockets slowly crept forward into the road, looking all around themselves. The choking smell of the hot, gray smoke began to waft in the air around them from below. Light looked back, sighing as she saw a tree several yards from theirs begin to have fire licking up its leaves.

"…Pulse, Light, remember those fools Jessie, James and their talking Meowth? They're going to be coming along to support us as soon as James's mines go off."

"With what, exactly?"

"You'll see…Okay, as soon those charges go off, hit them with everything you've got charged in those cheeks of yours."

On the road, about ten of the Rockets slowly and cautiously moved toward the corpses, guns pointed all over the tree in front of them.

Light concentrated on each one of their movements, from the few who continued ahead to the others who examined the broken Rocket truck on the side of the road. On the road, she saw one of the Rockets step towards a body. Nudging Shadow, they both covered their heads…

Bright, spectacular flashes of orange and yellow explosions popped into view, ripping up chunks of ground and several unfortunate Rocket soldiers. The sheer amount of yells sent a chill through Light, and each explosion sent waves of heat and pressurized air at her. She felts bits and bits of gravel rain down on her, followed by the massive odor of dust and burning flesh.

"Go!" Sentinel yelled over the radio as he hastily picked up his rifle, Sollus guarding his flanks.

(Light, let's go!) Shadow yelled, rampant electricity charging all around him as he leapt high out of the tree in the wake of loud gunshots from Sentinel's weapon.

Hesitating from surprise, she nodded and dove down after him. Behind, the sounds of a massive helicopter tore into the sky, followed by the sight of the machine itself. Sentinel looked up to it, smiling in approval of the trio piloting the vehicle.

_I don't know how they learned to build this stuff, but it works. _

"I guess all those years of chasin' dat twerp…err, of chasin' Ash paid off, gang!" The Meowth said confidently from over the shoulders of the two pilots. James laughed with satisfaction. "Indeed it did, Meowth! Any comments. Jessie?"

Jessie crossed her arms and smiled haughtily. "Oh James, we all know that I'm the true leader behind this group, so I should be credited most!"

"Hey…Oh well. Jessie, get on the cannon controls! Meowth, radar and damage control!"

"Aye aye!" both yelled charismatically, hurriedly setting up their stations as James lowered the gunship slightly to aim his minigun.

Streams of lasers from the gunship above ripped through the Rocket's ranks. At the same time Sentinel reloaded his gun, firing round after round past Shadow and Light who voraciously fought in the dust of the road.

_Heh, Sentinel had some planted on their side of the forest, too…_

The area across the road was shaken by a well-placed cannon shot from the gunship overhead. Light rushed fast through a cluster of Rocket grunts and Pokemon, yelling as she whipped her tail around at them, dashing and slicing at two with her electrically charged tail.

"_Let me assist you."_

Her eyes lit up bright white as she landed from another attack, grabbing her tail by the foot of the thunderbolt like a sword. Keeping it close to her body and leaving slack for the wiry part of the tail, she suddenly sprinted forward with white energy emanating from her body.

"What the he-UGH!" A grunt choked as the air in his lungs forced itself out of his mouth when Light smashed her tail into his chest. She spun as her tail left a rigid cut in the man, landing and then flipping forward to slam the flat side of her tail into his chin.

Power ran through her bones and through every fiber of her flesh. She bounded high into the air with the white fire behind her, letting go of her tail and raising her paw over her head toward the clouds. At that moment lightning shot down upon her, flowing through her with almost as much intensity as Raikou himself.

She reached for the bolt as she began to descend, somehow grabbing onto it and rolling in the air as she forced it toward more Rockets like throwing a spear.

(You're mine!)

She gritted her teeth as she landed and leapt out the way of the mighty, snapping jaws of a Mightyena while the sound of thunder boomed from where she had thrown the lightning. Rolling back on her feet, Light threw bursts of electricity shaped like arrows at the dog Pokémon. It ducked down as the bolts flew right over it, bracing its legs to lunge at Light with its razor-sharp fangs once again.

Sentinel swung the crosshairs of his scope over a Mightyena attacking Light and fired, scoring a red mist from the dog's head as it crumpled to the ground with rivers of blood pouring from the hole in its head. He continued running with the rifle firing at more targets, making sure to keep one thought in his head, as taught by his own teacher:

"Don't waste a single bullet." He whispered while stopping with his back pressed against a tree. The joints in Sentinel's fingers rolled as he stretched them quickly, taking another magazine from his ammo pouch and ripping out the old one from his rifle. Quickly, albeit carefully, he inserted the full clip while placing the used one into the pack under his ghillie suit.

A round readily fed into the chamber as he pulled back on the cocking handle, looking out from behind his cover while Sollus made a quiet bark.

"Okay girl, I want you to go back to the camp and tell the captain that we are going to need some support to secure the area. Come back to me with the force they'll send. Got it?"

(Yes sir.) She barked back, the collar translating it instantly. Sentinel nodded as he shot again. "Good. Get going now."

Sollus turned and sprinted into the forest while the former Rocket trio overhead flew by in their helicopter…

It seemed that the trio above was doing a good job in helping them keep the Rockets from crossing the road. Cannon shots streaked down from the air and tore massive pits into the ground right on top of a group of Rocket soldiers.

"And to believe that we were actually working with these people before!" Jessie said after seeing more red beams fly past them. With a tilt of his control stick, James moved the ship to the right and pressed the fire button on the control.

"Well then it was to make some money…at least back then they weren't trying to KILL people, we were just being told to capture Pokémon!"

"Yeah but it looks like our former boss went mad, eh?" Meowth commented from behind while looking over his own specially-designed control panel.

"Jessie, will you take control for a moment?"

"Sure, why not." She said quickly as she seized the stick with her left hand while James bent towards a box in-between their seats. Behind, a beeping noise came from Meowth's controls. "Missile comin' right at us!"

Jessie pulled the stick as hard as she could to go left, but the missile changed course to match their direction and hit with a massive explosion. James gripped at the soda he had pulled out of the box and nearly bumped his head on Jessie's arm, gritting his teeth. The other two braced themselves at their controls, bodies shaking with the sudden, sharp tremor of the helicopter as it shuddered in the air, alarms going off inside for a moment before the vehicle automatically regained equilibrium.

Meowth eyed his panel, noticing the flashing yellow point of the helicopter on the monitor. "Left side armor is at 80% , and da hull is at 95%. I guess ya did build dis ting strong, James!"

James sighed, quickly forcing the cap off the soda bottle and chugging the cola down. As he finished the soda, out of the corner of his eye he saw Meowth pointing nervously to Jessie. Dropping the empty bottle into a trash bag on his left, James looked over to see Jessie sitting with her fists shaking on her lap, eye twitching.

_Oh boy…_

James and Meowth both braced their ears, knowing the next thing that was going to happen: Jessie's yelling.

"How DARE they try to blow ME up!" Jessie screamed angrily while seizing the controls to the cannon once again. Before the reticule on the targeting system even began to process a Rocket reloading a missile into its launcher in the forest, she was viciously jamming her thumb into the fire button.

The helicopter recoiled from each blast of the firing shells, with James holding onto the control stick for dear life to stabilize the vehicle. Jessie stopped slamming her thumb into the button only after firing at least ten shells at the one soldier.

The ten artillery shells shredded the forest below in huge fireballs. The ground shook beneath Sentinel's feet as flaming debris was thrown high into the air from the forest. Grunting, he raised his arm over his head as rocks pelted him from above.

…

"What was your mission?"

"I said I'm not talking…can't you take a hint? For apparently being psychic you seem pretty hard headed!" Darrel yelled through the restraint of his own body's fatigue. By this time he had taken just to chastising his captor; he had gotten shocked at least five times by now, and evidence was wearily visible by the way his hair looked so ragged. Hues of purple were appearing over his skin and his eyes glared, bloodshot.

Still Sabrina just shook her head again. "Why do you have to make this difficult? You could just answer all my questions so easily, yet you refuse to even speak on the subjects…You're not even trying to think about this, are you? Your mind's wandering off to thinking about other things, like…"

Darrel rolled his eyes. Yes, he was thinking of something alright, and the thought stayed fixed well. He had been thinking about it for nearly a month now. It just refused to go away…

"…So you know the Pikachu called Shadow." She spoke calmly, twiddling her fingers.

"Yeah, I knew him…" Darrel said spitefully. "

"KNEW him…so he's dead then."

"Pfft…yeah right. The Raichu, Light probably led him to one of your bases to try and get into your army…not that I care anymore."

Through the glass he could see her eyes flash. "What? What division is he trying to infiltrate?"

His muscles tensed up with the electricity again as he cried out, growling through grinding teeth. He kept one eye wide open, the other shut fast as he gasped for breath when the shock stopped. "*huff*Err…Fuck you...and how the hell should I know what division he's joined? All I know is that he's in one right now…somewhere by where your teams captured me. Besides, he's betrayed us and become one of you anyway, so why would you care?"

She brushed her hair out with her hand, crossing her arms on the desk afterward. "You're lying, even without psychic abilities I could tell. Why would Shadow just defect? It's absurd, considering the amount of deaths we've got accounted to his name."

Darrel smirked, remembering just how brutal Shadow had been with some of the Kanto soldiers. The sheer amount of them he killed was enormous…by what he had seen anyway. Nonetheless, he decided to make another remark. "Wow, so you've counted how many of your soldiers have died because of him…let me guess, 100? 150?"

"Actually…it's probably somewhere around 250 he's killed personally. That's NOT including Pokémon."

…

What was this feeling?

For some reason she had chills. It wasn't from the battle itself, but instead she could feel…

A certain presence…

Meanwhile the Pikachu planted his hind legs into a gasping soldier's abdomen, feeling the gobs of saliva that flew from his mouth and landed all over his fur.

The voice pressed into her mind again:

"_Go to Shadow, now!"_

Small pieces of flaming debris rained down once more as Shadow saw three armored grunts approaching, armed with what looked like arm-mounted energy shields and electrosabers. The thing that got Shadow the most about these men was the fact that there was only three of them…and they all were wearing gas masks with the eye sockets glowing orange.

_They're…!_

Shadow spun away from another Rocket soldier to take a good look at these new arrival's shoulders.

A badge with the red 'R' was there. Directly under the 'R', a subtitle, in runic-style lettering, simply read Shock Squadron…

No division title.

Meaning…

_Shock Squadron…_

_1__st__ Division soldiers…!_

"Sentinel, tell the guys in the helicopter to fire at these guys in front of me, now! They're 1st Division Shock Squadron!" Shadow yelled while pressing the button on his collar to activate his radio as he dodged another laser shot, all while the faceless, black armor-plated men approached like three clones of the modern black knight…

Two things irked at Sentinel; one, why did 1st division TR-SS have to be there at a time like this? Second…

_How does Pulse even know about the Shock Squadron divisions?_

More and more, he doubted whether Pulse was who he said he was…

…however, he had to think about it later. There was a battle going on.

"…Got it…James, concentrate fire on the three men in front of Pulse!"

Overhead the helicopter tilted, going far left until it was above and far behind Shadow. One of the masked men looked up towards the gunship as its cannon trained on them, crouching and pulling his saber back behind him

"Fire!" James yelled.

Jessie tapped the button on her control. Strangely, they did not feel the helicopter recoil, nor did they hear a blast.

"Jessie, fire!" James yelled again. Jessie angrily started pounding on the fire mechanism with her thumb, getting no response while Meowth was waving his arms with alarm. Jessie growled. "I don't understand, we loaded this thing with at least 100 shells! It can't be out of ammunition!"

"Guys, one of them are gone!"Meowth yelled from behind. James and Jessie looked back at him. "So what?"

"He's clingin' to da-!"

At that moment a blue beam cut through the bottom of the helicopter, slicing right between Jessie and James, and then through the console Meowth was sitting at behind. Meowth jumped out from the seat he was at just before the beam was going to slice him in two, backing up with a shocked expression toward James and Jessie. The two humans slowly looked at each other, saying the same thing:

"Oh no…"

"How the…fuck…" Sentinel said with wonder at the sight of the SS soldier jumping back from the bottom of the helicopter as it exploded, leaving behind scraps of metal that flew from a massive fireball. Raising his arm to protect himself from the flaming shards of metal raining down, Sentinel saw the trio flying away from the explosion.

"Well, this brings back memories!" James yelled as the land ran fast under him. "Yeah, it does, and they aren't very good memories!" Meowth added in. Jessie had her arms crossed, looking away from the both of them. "Hmph…I never thought I'd have to go flying again…"

"You mean…blasting off?" James said as they increasingly began to go further away from the road.

"Yeah…" Meowth said. "How about we say what we used to say, just for old time's sake?"

"Fine."

All three of them inhaled:

"WE'RE BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"

…

Dust rose from the ground as the soldier landed back amongst his two other comrades, all facing Shadow.

The ears on the Pikachu's head were erect at the sides of his head.

Light came dashing in, sliding to a stop next to Shadow with her aura flowing all over. (Shadow, they're…)

(I know…Shock Squadron, 1st division…and they always gave off a bad aura…)

She shook her head. (They're…giving off a dark aura…VERY dark…)

(So you're saying…)

(They're no ordinary humans.)

The one at the lead of the trio spun his saber in his gloved hand. All around it was very quiet…

"…It seems you've made our allies retreat." He said, voice airy from the gas mask's filter.

"Shock Squadron division 9 was good, but not that good…and 10 was a bit of a joke when it came to being a special force group. They're barely better than the normal groups." Shadow shot back.

The lead stopped spinning his saber and held it parallel to his energy shield. "…Hmm…a talking Pikachu…" He said robotically.

"…So this is where you were, Shadow."

_...I guess my feeling was right…_

Sentinel moved the view of his scope over the back of Shadow's head, then back to the lead Rocket SS soldier. His bottom lip tucked back into his mouth, his brain churning.

"…I denied it at first…but now I know, Shadow…"

The black lines centered on the lead's head. "I probably would've shot him at first…"

There was no denying that. If he had heard Shadow say that 'Shadow' was his name instead of 'Pulse', then Sentinel would've kicked him into the air that moment and shot him. Of course, he'd have to deal with the other two that were there, and he knew it would probably not end up well for him.

Sure, it would be difficult to have handled the Raichu, but to successfully defeat who he now knew was Ash's Pikachu…

An absurd idea.

…_If the Captain's Pikachu was with Shadow, then Shadow must've defected…_

"…I guess you don't have to hide your name anymore, Shadow." Sentinel said as he pulled back the trigger of his gun.

The Rocket looked toward where Sentinel was, only to get thrown back by the bullet ripping through his helmet. At that moment, the other two lunged at Shadow and Light with sabers raised fast.

As Shadow slid to dodge the first, swift slash the soldier made he noticed that the one that had just been shot did not fall. Instead, a black smoke was starting to flow out of his helmet, with purplish static racing through it…

Sentinel's eyes widened as the Rocket ripped off his broken gas mask to reveal a necrotized face underneath that had pure red, glowing eyes and pitch black skin. The hole in the skull where the bullet had gone through was the source of the black smoke, along with smaller cuts and punctures in the man's face where smaller leaks of smoke were coming out.

The blue saber's energy crackled against Shadow's Lightning Blade as they struck, then struck again as the other man attacking Shadow smashed his weapon hard into Shadow's.

Growling, Shadow managed to push the man back, but not before he had slammed Shadow with his energy shield. Bluish static coursed across Shadow's body as he rebounded, cursing to himself.

Light, on the other hand, immediately jumped back from the soldier attacking her and put her paws together in front of her, channeling white static. The next moment, her body recoiled as a beam blasted from her paws while the soldier quickly discarded his energy shield and put his bare hand forward.

Seizing the opportunity, Sentinel pulled his gun's trigger once more and watched for the bullet to hit the head of Light's attacker.

The beam screeched as it made contact with the man's dark energy shield, tearing the ground under it while his hand stood firm…

His head snapped back while throwing out a puff of black smoke from the exit wound on the back of his head. For that moment his entire body recoiled, allowing the white beam to break through the black translucent shield. As the energy pierced his body the frames of glass on his mask broke, revealing scarlet red eyes underneath.

The next moment his entire form exploded with dark and white energy, followed by all of his armor tearing off to reveal the tattered, zombified form underneath that let out an otherworldly scream…

Light watched as a large shadow began to appear out from the soldier's face, with slit-like scarlet eyes and no mouth. Viciously, it ripped more of its body from the dead man's, screeching as its true form was covered in white aura, like it was on fire…

_An Ethereal?_

"_Yes, they can possess dead bodies…they did this when Marxus first appeared long ago as well."_

(They're Ethereals? No fucking wonder then!) Shadow yelled as his assailant acrobatically kicked at him, then spun on his heel to attack with both his shield and his saber. In response, Shadow quickly forced his dark energy through his Lightning Blade and slid fast under the man's sword, his ear catching the searing shield on the man's arm before he cut into the soldier with his dark Lightning Blade…

Though it wasn't the reaction Light had gotten from her opponent, Shadow's attack was effective nonetheless; the soldier recoiled back, screeching like the Ethereal near Light and gripping at a black static filled area near two packs on his chest. Another scream sounded as the black static exploded all over him…

"Headshot." Sentinel said as he charged forward through the trees, firing at the demon soldier's gas mask. Once more, his aim was perfect, catching his target between the eye sockets of the mask.

Falling backwards, the soldier began to twitch on the ground before his own armor exploded off of him in a black flame, allowing a single Ethereal to jump out from the body with its deafening, eerie screech…

…

"So you were just another of a number of individuals to get robotics, soon after Shadow left you."

"Yeah…I didn't know for sure, but I know that the upper guys were trying to make me another cyborg, just like some others. You fuckin' know, your forces have probably already seen some of the bodies with prosthetics."

Sabrina sighed, standing up. "I have one last question for you…do you know anything about the monsters that begun to appear in your ranks?"

Darrel tilted his head, just slightly motioning his hands up in their restraints so he wouldn't get shocked. "How should I know?"

"Near where you were captured, a team destroyed a large humanoid creature that the team leader described as being ten feet tall, over five hundred pounds and very muscular. Aside from that we had gotten reports before that there was an extremely agile Pichu with three-inch claws that had killed several others."

"I don't know anything about the big guy…as for that Pichu, I heard Shadow put his lights out…"

"He's dead?"

"Didn't I just say that Shadow put his lights out?"

…

Sentinel's radio crackled at his ear. Crouching into the bushes, he put his finger to his ear.

"Hello?" "Sentinel, this Ash, I'm on my way."

"Ash, did my Umbreon make it to you alright?" He asked worriedly. "Don't worry; she'll be coming back to you with me and my Pikachu. What's the situation out there?"

"Most of the enemy forces have retreated, but there's three…'things' here that had possessed some corpses or something like that…anyway, one of them single-handedly took out or air support, and right now Light, Shadow and I are fighting these things."

"…So you figured out who he really is?"

"Yeah…you knew?"

"Yes. He's not actually bad, Sentinel…anyway, what do these creatures you're fighting look like?"

Sentinel peered over the top of the bush to see Shadow jumping back as an Ethereal slammed its claws into the ground, shrieking as the ground in front of it exploded with dark energy. Suddenly Sentinel felt the shockwaves from the attack knock him off his feet, throwing him back into a smoldering patch of blackened grass. Quickly, he got up and patted off small flames that had begun to start on his ghillie suit.

He put his finger to his radio again. "They have slit-like red eyes, no mouths…their bodies are humanoid, pitch black, and they keep making this horrid screeching sound."

"Ethereals…Sentinel, you better hang back and let Shadow and Light handle them. Your bullets will have no effect on them."

Sentinel nodded to himself. "Understood…how long until you arrive?"

"Right now."

The mighty, thunderous roar of a large dragon trumpeted through Sentinel's ears. Surprised, Sentinel threw his head up to the sky to see a massive Charizard sail through the sky with a bonfire swelling in plumes of hot yellow and white on the end of its tail. Its giant claws gleamed in the sunlight as it descended with Ash riding it, with Bolt holding on to the back of his head.

The Charizard's call stopped Light dead in her tracks, along with the Ethereal wasting away in front of her. Snapping to see the great orange dragon barrel rolling, she saw a human jump off and roll in midair, with a white beam extending from his hand before he hit the ground and took off towards the final, unrevealed Ethereal who was still walking in the form of an undead soldier.

(Got you!) Shadow yelled as he jumped and charged dark electricity into his tail. The moment the Ethereal in front looked back at him Shadow smashed his energy infused tail across the blank face of the creature.

The Master dashed past Shadow with Bolt jumping off of him. As Bolt descended on the neck of the Ethereal in front of Shadow, A white dagger of aura rose from his paw

Bolt slashed through the creature's side, followed by Shadow passing him on his way down.

(My turn.) Shadow said as he jumped up and sliced into the stunned Ethereal's head with his dark energy-imbued tail, leaving behind a trail of black smoke from where it punctured the creature's head.

Ash's own long aura blade crashed through the corpse soldier's body, ripping the Ethereal from within it on the edge of his blade and throwing it far into the air as the body it left behind fell to the earth. In the air, the Ethereal looked from Ash to the great Charizard diving in on it with a long, white jet of fiery energy blasting out from his mouth.

The beam hit the dark creature with a powerful explosion that shook the earth below with waves of heat. Within the great fireball, the Ethereal made a last, shrill screech before evaporating into the light.

A fog of gray smoke hung where the fireball lit up the sky, ascending slowly into the atmosphere as the Charizard landed on the ground with a monstrous boom of his legs, lifting his head into the air to make a loud, triumphant roar.

A shining, bright tear split the left side of the Ethereal's head that Shadow attacked. Its expression remained silent as it turned its head up, the slash illuminating before the monster's head vaporized into a black gas, followed by its body.

Bolt turned his view to Shadow, studying him from ears to feet. (Not a scratch, I see.)

(Nothing.) Shadow replied as Light ran over, her eyes no longer glowing. (It's good to see you, Bolt.)

(You too. Anyway, there were no problems, I hope?)

(Eh…the helicopter that was sent here got destroyed by one of the Ethereals, and the crew went flying…) He turned around to face the smoking forest on their side of the road. (…but…they seemed like they were used to it…they yelled something like, 'we're blasting off again.')

Bolt rolled his eyes. (Oh, them…Ash and I had MANY encounters with them until seven years ago. They started chasing after us when he was ten, just to get me. They were and still are persistent…)

The older Pikachu shook his head. (No matter how many times we defeated them, they kept coming back for more, across so many regions. Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova…they kept trying to get me. )

(So…they were thieves at one point?)

(Actually…) Bolt said as Ash approached with the Charizard, while Sentinel walked out of the trees. (…they were members of Team Rocket, before the boss you have decided to use weapons to achieve his ends.)

This was a surprise to Shadow; both that those three were once part of Team Rocket, let alone that there was a time when Team Rocket didn't use weaponry.

In fact, he had never heard of Team Rocket before he was there. The whole thought of a totally different organization then seemed almost alien to what he had established Team Rocket to be. If it was all about just thievery before, then something extreme had to have happened to Giovanni to make him turn to the use of warfare…

Ash walked past them, instead heading towards Sentinel. Brushing some dirt off his ghillie suit, Sentinel sighed before taking his weapon in both hands, taking short glances at the area around.

"Sentinel, I see you and they have gotten the job done."

"It was a challenge, but it's done. So far we've had a very…interesting time out here." He said while shifting the rifle in his gloved hands. Looking to Shadow talking with Bolt and Light, Sentinel's grasp on his weapon tightened slightly. Ash's eyebrows rose for a second, then they went back into position with understanding.

The ghillied sniper looked questioningly back to Ash, whispering. "…Is that Pikachu really the Rocket agent Shadow?"

Ash nodded. "FORMER Rocket agent Shadow. He and Light are the one we had heard about that helped Xepher out of the Team Rocket base"

"Hmph. Funny thing…" Sentinel said, feeling a massive amount of irony to this situation. "…He was supposed to be my next assassination target, but the higher-ups told me to take him off my list for some reason…look."

His hand reached into a side pocket on his pouch, taking out a small notebook with a simple title drawn on it in marker that read 'bingo'. Opening it, Sentinel flipped through the pages of the book, revealing many faces that either had bars over them or a red 'X'. Finally, he made to a page that had 'SHADOW' on the top, with a blank area where the picture was supposed to be, though there was none present. Small descriptions lined the left side of the photo area, few in number, such as species, height, and other data.

"Well, now I know why they told me to mark him off…so, can we trust him?"

"Xepher told me that Shadow was blinded for a little while, and so Team Rocket deemed him useless. They chased him and Xepher throughout the facility, and once they got Light they all made a break for it…and from what he told me when you brought him to me, he's dead serious on going along with us."

"Good to know…say, where's my Umbreon?" Sentinel asked, noticing that his canine friend was nowhere to be seen. Nodding, Ash reached to his belt and took a shrunken Pokéball off of it, handing the small sphere to Sentinel. Rolling the red and white ball between his fingers, Sentinel sighed. "Remember the good old days, Ash? People used to be walking back and forth through this road, and you could literally see the trees teeming with Pokémon. I'm pretty sure I had seen you during the Indigo League Conference about twelve years ago, in fact."

Ash produced a faint smile, nodding. "Yeah. That was the first League Championship I had competed in, and four years later it would be the first that I'd win…"

He remembered it well. By that time he had matured greatly from when he started, though he still had a boyish attitude to him…

…

_The feeling of tens of thousands…no, MILLIONS, even…of eyes watching him had forever been imbedded in his memory. Deafening cheers sounded all around, with a chant of 'Ketchum' going through the crowd. Everyone was one their feet as fireworks exploded into brilliant display of color in the night sky._

_Behind him the Pokémon he had taken to win…Bolt, Charizard, Snorlax, Bayleef, Wartortle, and Pidgeot, all stood celebrating along with their trainer. His hands were shaking with excitement as he hoisted the golden trophy, which shined just as brightly as his spirit. Near the platform he was on stood his mother, Professor Oak and his friends Brock and Misty, all clapping for him. _

_He could see tears of joy rolling down his mom's face, tracing around her overjoyed smile. Professor Oak, on the other hand, approached him and shook his hand firmly. _

"_Congratulations, my boy! Very well done! Truly, that was one of the best performances I've seen in all my years!" The gray-haired man exclaimed, his grin stretching his wrinkled face. Ash returned the handshake in kind as his Pikachu jumped up on his shoulder, a triumphant fist in the air. Ash looked to his long-time friend, feeling the excited discharge of static emanating from his bright yellow fur. _

_(Finally, we did it! Can you believe it, Ash? You're the champion!)_

_Behind him he could hear the rest of his Pokémon making similar happy comments, but he raised his left hand. "Calm down, everyone! It wouldn't have been able to make it here without all of you!"_

_He shifted his hat as he looked over his six loyal Pokémon, all waiting for him to speak once more. All of them noticed a glimmer from his eyes as a chuckle escaped his mouth. _

"…_Thank you, all of you. I wouldn't be here without any of you or any other Pokémon that I can say are mine…you're like another family to me. Because of you I've grown both as a trainer and a person…all the time I've spent travelling with any of you were times I'll always cherish…"_

_All of his Pokémon listened intently to his heartfelt words. _

_Another explosion of yellow and blue sparks rippled in the air in the shape of a thunderbolt as Ash wiped his eyes, smiling brightly at them. _

"_I'll never forget you for what you've done for me."_

_Behind, he heard one of them taking steps toward him. Turning around, he was met by a hug from his mother. _

"_Ash, you've grown just so much! I knew you were going to make it someday, but you're still so young! Now I know you'll get your dream soon!" _

"_Aw, mom…thanks."_

"_Hey Ash! Good job!" Brock said as he walked over with Misty. Ash withdrew from his mother and looked from Brock to Misty. _

_His closest travelling partners, for so long…_

"_You too guys. First of all I don't know how I could've made it in the forests and deserts without you. Then, you've both taught me so much. Thanks for being like an older brother and sister to me." _

_Misty put her hands to her hips, orange hair swaying slightly in the wind. "Well it was just fun to go along with you! I'm sure Brock and I have learned a lot from you too. Right Brock?" _

_Brock laughed, crossing his muscular arms. "Yeah, we've practically gone halfway across the entire world together. It's not like you can't learn from that experience." _

_Ash backed up towards the golden Indigo League trophy on the ground, eyes meeting everyone else's of the one who helped him make it…_

…_after all these years…_

_Again, he gripped the handle of the trophy next to him and hoisted it in front of himself. Looking to it and then to them, he shook it. _

"_I have this…because of all of you."_

…

"…Ash, are you okay?" Sentinel said as the three 'Chus gathered by them, followed by the Charizard, stomping his way over.

Light stared up into his face with concern; he seemed to be concentrating on the ground, almost unblinking. Her ears lowered, looking into the centers of his eyes to see nothing.

Nothing but a powerful longing within…

(…Ash?) Bolt said, tugging worriedly at his pants while a low, worried growl came from the Charizard. With a short gasp, Ash's head shot up, breathing heavily.

"If you're feeling sick, there's no reason for you to be out here, sir." Sentinel added in, putting the Pokéball containing Sollus into his side pack. After a pause, Ash shook his head. "I'm fine…anyway, we've moved the camp just a quarter mile back now. Right now this is a bit of a bump in the perimeter around Viridian City…"

He sighed, looking down to Shadow below him. "…By the way, Sentinel knows, Shadow."

For a moment a streak of alarm flashed through Shadow as he looked to Sentinel. The sniper uneasily readjusted his grip on his rifle, clearing his throat. The outline of his mouth moved on his balaclava:

"…at the moment, a third of me wants to thank you for the help so far…another third is thinking of so many questions for you…"

Sentinel's pointer finger braced against the side of his rifle, above the trigger. Shadow stiffened, Sentinel's semi-hateful glare piercing into him. "…and the last third wants to make a tunnel through your head."

Shadow shrugged, expecting that kind of answer. "I don't blame you…I understand that I did some pretty bad things in Team Rocket, and so I want to fix everything I've done."

"Good. We could use your help, Shadow…now, we've got a problem here…" Ash said, looking back to the formerly reanimated corpses, once again lying dead on the ground.

"…The Ethereals are still among us."

…

"That will be all for today, Darrel. Enjoy your stay for the time being."

Darrel saw her rise from her chair and open a door, flipping the light switch on her way out to leave him in near total darkness. The only things that provided some illumination was the assortment of colored lights on a monitor next to him, indicating things like his heartrate and blood composition.

Other than that, he closed his eyes and relaxed slightly. Figuring that his wrist binds would still shock him if he tried to move his arms, he simply reclined his back on the metal chair…

In a way, he envied Shadow for escaping. He didn't have to deal with the kind of hell Darrel knew he was going to receive soon. At the same time, he was glad. He didn't have to be used anymore by Team Rocket…

…_Now you gotta watch out for being used by Kanto, Shadow._

Darrel breathed slowly, his eyes fluttering closed. Within the minute, he had slipped into sleep with the rough sound of his snoring filling the room…

…

…

Request, if I may: Please try as hard as you can to submit reviews from a registered account. Anonymous reviews are fine, but I like to reply to discuss with reviewers how I could fix things, and I can't do that with anonymous reviews. Either way, thanks for the reviews I'm getting!


	7. Chpt VI: The Storm Approaches

Chapter VI: The Storm Approaches

September 29, 2061 4:16 p.m.

(…)

It was a little weird for Shadow, just to be able to relax. Since the leaders of the army needed some time to think about the potential retake of Viridian City, everyone was practically relegated to holding the area while the other groups advanced in to even out the line.

They were still in a bump of sorts along the perimeter around Viridian, but the army detachment west of them made a breakthrough just the day before, and right now the detachment in the far east were supposed to be attacking.

Thus leaving the KAM-TS to wait for a safe go-ahead from command.

In the distance Shadow could hear the chatter of the mass of soldiers and Pokémon from the KAM-TS, but he was far enough away to not be disturbed…

He didn't specifically know where Light was, but he knew that Sentinel was keeping watch on the road with a group of fellow snipers, and apparently had to go somewhere later. A few other Pokémon from the forest had been talking to him, like a Pidgey that had flown by or a Tangela, but other than that he had been alone.

Sitting up in the tree, Shadow had just been thinking to himself.

…The prospect that the Ethereals weren't gone rattled him somewhat.

…_Just because their leader is gone doesn't mean that they are. _Shadow thought to himself as he heard leaves rustle around him with the breeze. Overhead he could hear several Spearow flying by, cawing to each other. Below he could see two Ratatta walking, sniffing into the air around them. One stopped, sniffing the tree Shadow was at before looking up at him. Cocking its head, its whiskers shook. (Do you know where we could find some berries?) She asked quickly. Shadow shrugged. (I'm not from here, so I couldn't really help you…but I think I see some berries over there.) He said as he looked into the distance to see a single bush with blue spheres poking out from it. Pointing in the direction, the Ratatta nodded to him and then signaled her friend. (Thank you.)

(No problem.) Shadow answered as they ran off in the direction he indicated. Sitting back down on the branch of the tree, he continued to think about the Ethereals…

A rustle sounded from behind him, somewhere on the other side of the tree he was on. Turning around, he saw a white leg emerge from the leaves, followed by a greener upper body with a red spike on the chest. Dark green, blade-like arms extended from the shoulders and upon those a white-colored head with red-colored irises. A light green spray of hair covered its left eye, and a large, fin-like dark green protrusion extended on the top of its head to make it look like the Pokémon had a gladiator's helmet on.

The Gallade looked down at Shadow, the color in his visible right eye contracting slightly. His right arm twisted back and forth, as if he were preparing to strike. Grimacing, the Gallade spoke up.

(Heh, I didn't think I'd see you with us...) He said with a slight southern accent. (Remember me?)

(…Your left eye…) Shadow responded, one ear sideways. The Gallade nodded as he reached up to the green strand in front of his left eye and lifting it, revealing an old scar that ran down the center of it, from his forehead to the bottom of the eyelid. The eye itself was only halfway open, but it appeared to be functioning well enough to look down at Shadow.

(Hmph…Blade.) Shadow said as the Gallade took a seat next to him.

It was just another thing Shadow had to face here:

Interacting with his old foes, like Blade.

(…I suppose you're here to cut me up?) Shadow asked. Blade looked to his right arm, then covered his left eye back up with the strand on his head. (No…We fought because we were enemies, Shadow. As is my honor, I can't take vengeance against anyone who injured me fairly in a fight. That and I don't want to do that.)

Suspiciously, Shadow watched the Gallade's arm. (What are you here for then?)

Blade lifted his right arm from the bark of the tree and laid it behind his head, leaning back on the tree trunk. (I suppose that I should get to know you better. I mean, we're on the same side now, so I might as well learn a bit about you…so first of all, I heard you just left Team Rocket.)

(Yeah, more like they drove me out. All that time that I thought I was worth something to them aside from being a living weapon I was wrong. As soon as I lost my sight for a while, they tried to kill me.) He said bitterly, each word spoken like they left behind a bad taste in his mouth. Blade listened quietly, one of his legs hanging off the tree limb swinging back and forth.

(…can you imagine what it's like to find out that the world you thought you were living in turned out to be fake? All around me…it was like reality just shattered.

(Frankly…I can't imagine what that's like. It must be somewhere around feeling like you were thrown into a pit of lava, eh?) Blade spoke, surprised to be feeling sympathy for the one who nearly sliced his eye in half.

(Yeah, I guess it could be like that…) Shadow replied with an empty chuckle at the end. Wind blew several yellow-green leaves past his face and flailed the tuft of fur over his right eye. Feeling the breeze calm down, Shadow reached to his head and patted the fur back into place.

(…How many people back in the camp would like to kill me right now?)

Blade almost flinched from the question. Asking how many people wanted to kill you was definitely not a sign of a happy or untroubled person.

Blade took his left arm from under his head and placed it to his pearl-white chin. (I'd say somewhere around…well, just about all of them. In other words you might want to stay under the radar until you can show them that you're on their side now, got it? You're obviously one infamous Pokémon right now.)

Shadow nodded slowly. After what Sentinel had told him regarding three things he wanted to do with Shadow, he wasn't surprised by the answer. Most of the soldiers here would have only two things for Shadow here out of the three Sentinel had told him.

One, asking him questions…

…more like brutal interrogation.

And two, shooting him, which he knew many of these men would gladly do.

(…Easier said than done, Blade.)

(It's gonna be tough, and I myself don't really know whether to trust you or not…but if the Master can trust you, then I suppose I can as well.)

(Great…would you mind leaving me alone for a while? It's not that I don't like the company, I just want to be able to relax by myself for the first time in…well, it seems like forever.)

Blade slowly stood up, pushing himself up with his thin, dark green arms. Instead of leaving, he stayed there and looked down at the Pikachu with a mix of seriousness and confusion.

(You're…pretty antisocial, aren't you?)

(Yeah. I've never been able to talk well with people I don't really know. Sorry, Blade.)

(Well, just open up to people Shadow. Whatever's on your mind can't be pent up forever.)

With that, Blade kicked his legs into the bark, launching himself far into the air above. Shadow looked up for a moment, observing Blade coming back down several yards away. Landing, Blade rolled to absorb the impact of hitting the ground and got back on his feet, jumping back into the trees behind Shadow.

So once again, Shadow was alone.

…

…_I do get pretty lonely…_

…_Heh, but I am at that age…_

Cool air flowed across Shadow's face like water. Yellowing leaves trickled down from the trees above, and all around the sounds of Pokémon in the forest was once again Shadow's only company.

…

The roadway stood quiet from the previous battle. Still small sheets of smoke rose from the edges of the woods, and here and there pricks of bright orange or yellow produced the gray fog. This place was quiet, almost obscenely quiet. The bushes beneath the trees swayed with the breeze…

…all except for two which stood at the edge of a clump of other bushes. Their leaves swayed, but the bushes themselves didn't move an inch, like there was no branches on them to sway. Under the yellowing leaves the sight of fabric could catch the eye up close. That, and the fact that camouflaged beams of metal stuck out from them, with similarly hidden scopes on top.

"It's good to shoot with you again, sir." Whispered one of the bushes.

"Sure thing, Roy." The other replied

"With all due respect sir, my current identity is Sentinel."

"Fine, I'll remember that…So let me tell you about my time away. First, I went to the Unova region in 2057 to look for some volunteers who might've been willing to come back with me. I almost found a group who could've come back with me, but it seemed they had their own damn problems to attend to. It was something about them getting back to their own world…"

"Who were they?"

"Group something or another, I know one of their names was Jon. I'm pretty sure that I managed to teach them to never underestimate aging men again. After that, I was sent to the area around Cerulean in '59, then to Saffron in late '60 until a month ago. Now I'm here, and staying back with the home squad…"

He sighed, glancing around at the road. Strands of his graying-black hair blew in the wind on his forehead. The slight wrinkles in his face moved with his muscles, flexing his jaw. "So how many kills have you gotten since our last meeting?"

Sentinel turned his rifle on its side, sliding a small black box out of a rectangular unit below the charging handle. A very small screen adorned the box, with numbers in red along with a gun status.

"Somewhere around 472 to 470 kills total, and…399 headshots, sir."

"Enough of this 'sir' business, dammit. You can just call me Archer. Anyway, good job. If I remember correctly that thing's a headshot counter?"

"Yes. I received it after I left sniper school, you know that. It's counted every headshot I've gotten since then. Some of the others use this mostly for competition on who gets the most kills in one day when we're out on missions."

"Hmph. Tell those dumbasses that this is no sport. This kind of job is supposed to be taken as seriously as it comes. Hell, without people like us, assassinations would be nearly impossible to pull off…"

Sentinel smirked under his balaclava, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Understood, Archer."

The old man smirked. "On second thought, I won't need you to be telling 'em. Once we begin the attack on Viridian, I'm sure they'll get back in shape once they see ol' Archer is back, eh? I'll just whip 'em back into the shape I had them in if I have to."

Sentinel let out a nearly-silent laugh. "Don't worry, the guys won't disappoint you. They're all still capable of pulling off headshots from half a mile away…without interference like enemy fire, anyway."

"…So where's your Eevee?"

"She's resting back at the camp. She's no longer an Eevee either. She evolved about three years ago into an Umbreon"

"Good to hear…sad to say, she might've compromised us if she went with us to where we're going…"

Archer froze in place, eyes to the road but still facing Sentinel. He quickly lowered himself onto his belly, Sentinel dropping next to him.

"…Weapons up." Archer whispered while turning his head slightly. In the next moment, both snipers had their right eye peering through their scopes towards the other side of the road.

The thin black cross within Sentinel's scope moved across the foliage, as if trying to pick at the greenery. Both of their breaths were held in their chests, their bodies completely still…

A spot of fur appeared within Archer's view of a tree, just behind the trunk. The creature moved out from behind the tree, holding large, spherical blue berries in its tiny hands.

"False alarm. It's just two frickin' Ratatta." Archer whispered. On the other side of the dirt road, the Ratatta emerged from the trees with another of its kind following, walking briskly across the road while nervously looking back and forth towards both sides of the road.

Sentinel kept his eye to his scope, still tense. Nodding in approval, Archer let a grin appear below his bushy, graying moustache. "Keep your scope steady."

"And never waste a bullet." Sentinel finished.

Sentinel never forgot that motto Archer had told him. He had the motto practically beaten into his head; given how many times Archer had smacked him after missing the center of a target. It was the main reason why Sentinel was so accurate now, in fact: Archer had gone with a 'more effective' approach to teaching him.

And Sentinel couldn't say that it didn't work.

"…Sentinel, I'll go in first, follow and watch all around." Archer said as he got up from his position in the bushes and began walking to the road, looking every which way for possible enemies.

Sentinel kept his rifle pointed out in front of him, following Archer as he rushed across the road. Both proceeded to get back into kneeling positions once they were back among the shrubs.

The ends of their rifles swept across the area. Sentinel carefully looked over a Nidorina who was leading a group of smaller Nidoran a ways from him, presumably her children. Seeing that she had no Rocket collar on or anything else to show that she was with them, he continued searching.

"Clear." Sentinel whispered. Archer looked back to him and nodded. "Alright…let's move. Those guys at Viridian can't wait forever."

Archer began to move forward with Sentinel close behind. As they journeyed deeper into the woods, their ghillie suits made them blend in and disappear from the sight of anyone who could've been at the road…

…

Dim shades of light penetrated Shadow's closed eyelids, his back to the base of the tree. His thin yellow and black ears were barely lifted at the sides of his head, taking in the sounds of the forest surrounding him.

A particularly colder breeze blew through his bright yellow fur. Pressing his tail to his body, he coiled up against the tree bark.

_Early winter or what?_

Static ran from his cheeks, perking up the fur on his body. With a sizzling sound, some of the bark under his body got charred.

(Cold?)

Shadow's eyes slowly blinked open, followed by a slight yawn. Standing up, he shook out his body quickly.

(Hey…I'm trying to sleep here…)

Rubbing his eyes, he half-drowsily looked down towards the Pokémon on the ground…

His breath caught in his mouth, and he stood silent, suddenly fully awake. The chill in the air returned, but it held up to nothing against the waves of electricity that began to travel through Shadow's body.

His Antireal's emotionless-sounding voice betrayed the smirk held underneath his piercing red eyes.

(So you beat Marxus, Me. Good job.)

Shadow jumped back off the tree branch and landed in the grass, glaring at AntiShadow like a hawk. For several seconds they stood, staring menacingly at the other…

(…What the hell do YOU want?)

(I came to see how we're doing on the other side of the war…so far, I can tell we're not dead. Surprising, considering how many of them we've killed…unless they don't know our real name yet?)

(That's none of your business.) Shadow growled back. (Whenever they find out, they'll find out. It's simple as that. Now fuck off.)

AntiShadow crossed his arms while his eyelids lowered. (I suppose you don't want to see me then. Too bad, though. No matter how much you may not like it, as long as you're alive, I'll still be here to be the shadow under your feet.)

Another chilly wind crept through the air, flailing grounded leaves all around them. Meanwhile Shadow's vision tunneled on his Antireal.

(…So how's things on your end then? Chaotic since Light and I killed your leader?)

AntiShadow frowned. On the other hand, Shadow managed to smirk on perhaps managing to deal a counter blow to his supposedly uncaring Antireal.

The feeling dropped as soon as it came as AntiShadow's eyes widened, followed by his smirk returning. Was he actually HAPPY that Marxus was gone?

Shadow obviously felt unnerved by AntiShadow's grin. The dark Pikachu lowered his arms to his sides, completely mirroring Shadow's own pose.

(Shadow…do we realize just what kind of madness we may have unleashed because of his defeat?)

AntiShadow's tone of voice seemed happy as well. Crazed, but happy. He even chuckled a bit after the sentence.

(What do you mean?) Shadow answered quickly, electricity starting to charge into a ball in his right paw. Looking to the crackling sphere, AntiShadow flexed his own right paw into and out of a fist.

(Have we noticed my fellow Ethereals out and about? Maybe at the road the other day, taking control of, say, corpses?)

(Yeah. So you Ethereal can take control of bodies.)

AntiShadow nodded, lifting his head up slightly to look over Shadow's shoulder. (Exactly, me. And that won't be the last kind of freakish things we'll see. I'm afraid that even more horrifying things are one the way…)

_This is enough. _

(Give me a straight answer, Antireal. What kind of things are you talking about?)

AntiShadow crossed his arms once more, pointing one digit out past Shadow. Taking a step back, Shadow quickly looked over his shoulder to hear the sounds of rapid footsteps…

The next moment, Light burst through a bush that was in the way, sweat glistening in her fur. Sliding, she came to a stop next to Shadow, her tail whipping forward.

(Light!) He said calmly as she stood up, looking somewhat nervously at Shadow. Immediately he could see the bright flashes going through her eyes like lightning in a thundercloud.

_She really can detect when I could be in danger…_

Shadow glared back at AntiShadow, letting out a small gasp when he saw that Light's Antireal was now standing next to his.

AntiLight rubbed the back of her paw across her right cheek. (Well…I think this could get fun.)

(Quiet.) Light responded coldly. Shadow flinched at the hostile nature of her reply. His Antireal even looked somewhat shocked. The smirk that once adorned his face had receded to a frown, while his eyes had widened to form an almost worried look on his face.

AntiLight stared hard into Light's eyes, actually seeming a little angry by the fact that dark energy was beginning to rush around her paws. At the same time, her head lowered slightly to give an upward glare at her 'Real' self. (Huh…I didn't know we could be so bold. Perhaps the other one is doing more to us than I thought.)

(Whether it's her or me, we'll stop you. Shadow and I know exactly what you things are capable of, and we won't let you hurt anyone and get away with it.)

Silently, Shadow nodded and clenched his right paw, reabsorbing the dark energy he had been charging into his body. However, his body stayed tense, ready to attack at any given moment.

(…Again, what kind of things are you talking about?) Shadow repeated, calmer but still wary.

AntiShadow grunted, smiling once more. (Truly FREAKISH things, for one. I let you in on a little secret …Dr. Namba is still alive.)

…_No way!_

(That's impossible! Xepher stabbed him to death!) Shadow said angrily, remembering the screams Namba made as Xepher drove his knife into the madman's body multiple times. The blood Shadow felt splashing on his fur was real too. There was no way to deny that Namba must've died…

Shadow may have not seen him die, but he sure as hell smelled the scent of his blood heavy in the air then. He could confirm it when the dark energy awoke in him, and he saw the mad doctor's body slumped on the wall.

(Hmph. Or so you thought, DEAR Shadow. He may not be quite as functional as his old self…) AntiLight continued on with a playful and sadistic tone. (…but he's just as…CREATIVE as then. Even more so. He's the one responsible for that giant back at the road some nights ago. If I recall, he's made a new chemical that will boost physical abilities to be just like what you saw…and then, there's the other weapon he's working on right now.)

(What weapon?) Light demanded, followed by Shadow's growls.

AntiLight looked to AntiShadow, motioning her head to the other two. (Should we tell them?)

(Sure…I'll tell them.)

Stepping forward, AntiShadow raised his head to unleash the full, unnerving sense of murder in his scarlet eyes. Dark energy concentrated into a ball in his upheld palm, swirling in various sheets of black and dark gray.

Black static formed around Shadow's own paws, his red cheeks sparking like firecrackers. Smirking, AntiShadow looked across both him and Light, who stood with both paws in front of her body, forming a sphere of white electricity. Looking down to the sphere in his own paw, AntiShadow spoke:

(Imagine this, me…Light…Imagine how much raw power is built up into the purest of dark energy, constantly powered by one's negative emotions…

…by this time I'm sure we all know what it's like to be hit by an attack powered by this. Not only does it burn like you've been set on fire from the inside, but it feels like that area of your body has become locked in frostbite. The sheer pain makes you feel numb…and when it's concentrated around and in you, it can really change your demeanor…)

AntiLight chuckled behind him, eyeing Shadow with what could be described best as mocking affection. (Isn't that right, Shadow?)

(Get to your point.) Shadow said sharply to his Antireal, somehow managing to restrain himself from attacking the other.

( Consider…the same attack, only on a much larger scale…say, a blast the size of Saffron City?)

A choking feeling of dread gripped Shadow. At the same time, Light gasped. (That's impossible! Nothing could possibly-!

(-Be concentrated at such a massive level…thankfully, Dr. Namba already has a machine that can concentrate dark energy. It is the same thing that brought Marxus, along with us, into this plane once more. All he has to do is up-scale it…and we have the ancient weapon, _Shibousha-Te_…Death's Hand.)

(THAT weapon will have the power to cause destruction equal to that, and more.) AntiLight chided devilishly, taking a stand next to AntiShadow once more. (Think of it: Team Rocket, wielding a weapon of such magnitude…it does not sound very good to your ears, does it?)

(No, it doesn't…) Shadow admonished, keeping a steady eye on both her and his Antireal. Left of him, Light did the same with her paws still holding her energy ball.

(…Why are you telling us all of this? Why would you care what happens?)

Shadow agreed silently. It seemed completely odd that these two would be telling them what Team Rocket planned to do. Even stranger, the fact that they were warning them in the first place. Thinking back once more, he remembered another thing AntiShadow mentioned in Pallet:

(…You're only here because Light and I are alive. If we die, then you go too.) Shadow finally said.

AntiShadow nodded. (And I…WE don't want to go yet. This world is just too much fun…)

(…and we both hold a valuable piece of you. So you can't kill us either…or you'll lose that piece of yourself.)

Shadow's right fist trembled. (Piece of myself? I'm already whole! I'm not missing anything here.)

AntiShadow chuckled, shaking his head. (…As far as you know, me.)

AntiLight raised her paw in front of her, her other paw and arm becoming covered in dark energy. Giggling, she waved with the front paw. (Until you figure it out…bye.)

She fell backwards, disappearing into the ground in a pool of black flame that sealed up almost immediately.

AntiShadow held his own arm back, doing much the same. The hateful glare Shadow gave him seemed to make him happier. (Go ahead and try to follow, if you can.)

AntiShadow fell back into the ground, quickly raising both arms to the sides. Instead of disappearing into a black pit of flame, he left a black silhouette on the ground…

Gritting his teeth, Shadow pushed Light out of the way as the shadow on the ground dashed towards them, exploding with a hail of dark energy as AntiShadow shot back up with his fist up. Landing, AntiShadow chuckled once more and crossed his arms.

(You…) Shadow said as he got up, the dark energy in his paws rampant. On the other side of AntiShadow, Light picked herself up and stuck her paw out, coursing with white energy that was ready to be used against the Antireal.

(That's a technique called Ethereal Spike. You fell for it once…but it looks like you know when to dodge now…)

(I'm not falling for the same thing twice…) Shadow snapped. AntiShadow nodded. (Good…like you did with Lightning Blade and Thunder Shield…try to replicate that…)

Once again Antishadow fell backwards, this time into a pool of black fire that erupted under him with a distant-sounding flare.

The dark energy surrounding Shadow's arms quickly dissipated. With a frustrated look, he put a paw to his forehead. (…What are we going to do about…whatever that thing's name was?)

Light shook her head. (I don't know…)

An idea came into her mind. Thinking as hard as she could, she asked a question into her own mind:

_Are you there? Did you hear any of that?_

…

"…_I heard."_

(…Shadow, listen closely.) Light finally said, her voice soft but commanding.

(…What do you know about that weapon?) Shadow said, already knowing that tone of her voice well enough to know that it was Lightforce, speaking through Light.

…Images of her own past came to mind. Memories of a time long ago…

…Memories of that day.

She closed her glowing eyes, and Shadow could see a single tear roll down her cheek. Sighing, she opened both eyes and spoke.

(…_Shibousha 'Te_…or in the present tongue, _Death's Hand_…was the very weapon Marxus used to nearly wipe out everything once before, in my time. Hundreds of thousands died in the onslaught…)

(What exactly does it do?)

(It is used to tear the barrier between this world and the Ethereal world apart. You see, normally Ethereals can only be brought here when they are summoned, or they can do so at will only if they are Antireals, like yours and Light's…)

(…if that shield is destroyed, they will overrun and conquer this world, leaving behind a swath of absolute destruction. It took an entire army of Knights…Pokémon Masters, as you call them now…to just hold back the Ethereal army into one place while my friends and I went in and dealt with Marxus…)

(Errgh…so Marxus was doing all of this even then.)

(But it wasn't all his doing. The events that have led to now…were the results of what his master had done…)

(Master?) Shadow asked, shocked. Lightforce took on a grim expression. (Yes, his master…Kovnorath…)

She shuddered, eyes narrowed. (Just saying his name…is like drowning me in a lake of fear. That madman desired to have everything, and live as the eternal ruler of an enslaved world. And if he couldn't have everything, then he was going to send it all into oblivion…

…Wielding the Death's Hand, Kovnorath first tested his new power by destroying an entire city single-handedly…

Next, he demonstrated his other, unnatural power…creating the first truly living Ethereal. That is, he corrupted the mind and soul of a living being so far as to make it as evil and as heartless as a real Ethereal. And do you know who he did this to?)

(...Marxus.) Shadow answered gravely, pricks of cold spiking all over him.

(Yes, it was Marxus. To believe…that at one time Marxus was normal is beyond even me. Once he was transformed he gained the personality you know him to have. He did everything Kovnorath told him to do, perhaps out of some sort of lingering loyalty to him…but that all shattered when he turned on Kovnorath at a great temple called the Infinity Shrine. Once he gained control of Death's Hand, Marxus decided that he was going to take up what his master was going to do...)

…

"_Wh…What?" Lightforce said, dumbfounded at the sight of the Dark Energy blade protruding through Kovnorath's heavily armored chest, overtaking the numerous scratches and dents that already stood out on the blue metal. _

_The Pikachu Rift gaped next to her, utterly as surprised as she was. Behind them, the Knight Satoshi breathed heavily in a kneeling position, covering the cut through his own blue armor while keeping his other hand clutched around his sword…_

_Kovnorath appeared very shocked and surprised himself as blood seeped from the wound. Turning his head in slight jerks, he was met by the eager, crazed eyes of his 'ally'. _

_Surprisingly, he too let a weak smile appear on his face as blood formed at his lips._

"_I…knew this…would happen…" He choked as the bottom of his cape flared up under him, the top part pinned to his back by Marxus's blade. The Lucario stood silently with a mad grin on his face, staring into his former master's eyes with his own, demonic sight. _

"…_Mere humans…no matter how powerful…can never hope to control the power of Death's Hand. It was foolish of you to let your guard down, especially around an Ethereal like me…thus, seeing how erroneous even you are with this power…" _

"…_Do it then." Kovnorath coughed again, his face paling from the blood loss. _

_His bloodshot eyes turned to Lightforce, Rift and Satoshi. "If I cannot have…the power…"_

"…_Then no…mortal can…!"_

"_I agree. However, not even you could've had it. Goodbye, MASTER." _

_Kovnorath's teeth clenched fast as Marxus brutally ripped the blade upward from his body, splashing blood everywhere around them. The once-great warrior hit the ground in kneeling position, dark energy evaporating round his neck as he shook violently. _

"_ERRRAAAAAH!"_

_She flinched at the sight of Kovnorath bursting into black flames, his blood spewing from his mouth and the massive cut that practically split his torso in two. Even as the skin around his face went up into flames, Lightforce could see he still wore a crooked smile…_

_Seconds after the fire had engulfed him, a blackened skeleton wearing the necklace crumpled to the ground with a splash of the scarlet beneath it. _

_Beneath Marxus the necklace rumbled as it began to float up from the skeleton, placing itself into his paw. Seconds later, Lightforce, Rift and Satoshi witnessed a bright flash as the necklace absorbed into him. _

_A swastika appeared on the back of his right paw in front of the spike, sending waves of black energy all across his arm. With a satisfied look, Marxus turned his head up towards the three, his eyes becoming pure, lustrous black…_

"_Have no doubt…" Satoshi said calmly, forcing himself up while raising his sword in front of him. Despite the rip in his body, he kept focus on Marxus as Lightforce and Rift got on all fours in front, ready to attack as one once more. _

"…_have no fear…!" Rift said as he growled from the release of his dark energy, zapping around him and evaporating most of the blood off of his tattered body, his wounds steaming as they began to heal on their own._

"…_and we shall not fall…" Lightforce said while her own, white power ran from her chest to all over her, her eyes beginning to glow. The energy flowed across her fur, and through her body. It lit her heart with resolve. Her own spirit summoned the power in her soul, and the might within fully awakened to fight the evil once more. _

_Marxus raised his paws up, black energy flaring from them as if trapped behind barriers of some sort, like there was much more of its power waiting to be unleashed. His eyes looked over the gallant knight, his black hair whipping about his head and shoulder armor, hands tight on his diamond-bright sword. The array of colors given off by his 'Chu friends made his bluish armor like a great sapphire. Grayish energy flowed through his body like a mist, wrapping itself around his body like a Twilight cloak. He was the most intimidating, and the most tranquil._

_His view traveled onto Rift, cheeks alight with static while black energy buzzed at his feet. A cut on his ear looked like it could've torn it in half before regenerating, along with all his other wounds to leave behind scabs. All the while his face showed his fearlessness, and an unnaturally strong bravery._

_And finally, Lightforce, standing with her white energy counterbalancing the black that flowed from her mate like static, while hers seemed more like a flame. With eyes glowed like pearls, the Raichu seemed to have taken on a completely silver color, apart from the grayish-brown that still existed from the dark parts of her fur. Out of all of them, she was the most magnificent, and the most awe-inspiring._

_The torches in the great hall flared up, catching the banners they hung under aflame as Marxus raised his arms, power exploding from within. He laughed as the stone of the great shrine cracked all around…_

"_With this…the beginning has ended. Now…for the beginning of the end."_

…

(…The dark power from the Death's Hand is enormous. But…combined with the already horrible aura of Marxus …it felt like I was going to die right there. I had never felt anything like it before...the power of the darkest weapon…combined with the power of the darkest being.) Lightforce continued on with a worried look. (In the end it was the three of us against him, atop the place you know as Mt. Silver. Literally millions of Ethereals on the ground below us were fighting the Knights who had assembled to stop them…because of that battle I lost the one I loved most…and I almost lost the human I had come to know as a friend. All because Marxus had the Death's Hand.)

Traces of static sparked from Shadow's cheeks. (…And now Team Rocket could get that weapon…!)

(Precisely, and we both know what methods Team Rocket has when it comes to using weapons. Namba especially will not hesitate to destroy the cities of Kanto, and he would even have the power to go after the other regions…we have to stop him.)

(Damn, we don't even know where the hell he is, if he's still alive. I don't know if the Antireals were bluffing or not, but the prospect of Team Rocket having that kind of power is bad either way.)

He let a growl escape his mouth, frustration gripping him. (And if he's the reason behind that…'thing' at the road before, then there's definitely a problem. When he gets his mind on something, he stays with it. He's probably developing more bio-weapons right now!)

(There's no use in getting angry, Shadow. We should go and talk to Ash about how to deal with this. I'm sure both as a Master and as a member of this army he'll be able to help us get the dark energy generator destroyed, before it's too late.)

He exhaled, the heat in his face draining slowly. The static crawling from his cheeks soon stopped as he nodded to her.

(Let's go find him then.)

…

Archer and Sentinel reloaded, leaving the corpses of a Rocket patrol behind them, Pokémon and human alike with parts of bone missing from their skulls and blood splattered on the ground where they fell.

Archer pulled back the bolt on his rifle, disapprovingly eyeing Sentinel. "…Hmph. To think he was the actually the Pikachu you had to be watching for. If he was still with Team Rocket you would probably dead right now."

"I doubt it. Your lessons gave me a quick shot, and I'm sure I could've killed him. But after seeing him kill those Rockets and then walk directly up to me with the other two, I couldn't kill him. I saw him as a probable ally now, and it looks like I was right. He even seems to be a little special Archer, and so does Light. The Captain even said I could trust him…and you know his credentials in that kind of matter."

"It looks like your instincts were right then, Sentinel. However on official terms you should've killed him, dammit. Knowing what he had done should've told you to put a fuckin' bullet through him…" Archer scowled back, kneeling behind a bush.

"But, if what you said about the Captain trusting him holds true, I guess we can, too."

Sentinel crouched near a fallen tree, watching the opposite side of where Archer was watching. "Okay…so Archer, what's the distance to Viridian?"

"I'm checking; hold your Rapidashes for a minute."

Numbers streamed across the screen of the small GPS Archer held in his hands. A blue arrow pointed to a large expanse of trees, followed by red dots around the arrow that moved slightly every few seconds. At the right side of the screen a clearing with small houses could be seen, with an arrow pointing east of the houses that read 'Viridian City: 14 miles'

"14 miles to go, Sentinel. We'll get there soon."

Sentinel nodded uneasily, whispering. "Hopefully that policewoman didn't get discovered; otherwise we're doing this trip for nothing. That and retaking Viridian will be hard as hell with all the Rocket's defenses."

"Damn straight. Let's keep moving."

…

…

It looks like Shadow needs to watch out…the storm is coming, and it's going to be a bad one. See you next time!


	8. Chpt VII: Chills in the Dark

Chapter VII: Chills in the Dark

October 1, 2061 1:01 a.m.

The air was heavy with heat and humidity. A disgusting stench flooded the area while dim lights lined the walls. Murky water floated stagnant in the center of the passage like a frozen, dark green river. Along the sides were pipes that jutted out from the walls to hang directly over the water, some spewing out water and its contents every now and then into the disgusting stream…

A few Grimer sank into the water as two men came walking by on the metal platforms that lined the walls, both carrying flashlights in one hand while the other held a pistol. The first had a more modern pistol, with the energy box jutting out of the bottom of the handle and glowing dimly. Its entire finish was dusty chrome.

Meanwhile the other carried a smaller pistol, ancient by the time's standards. Its wooden furniture one the grip was scratched up, and rust had started to accumulate on the edges of the barrel. Overall, it was still in good condition for use.

"It's pretty damn strange that you picked up a frickin' 1911 off a Rocket, Sentinel. I'd think these bastards would at least TRY using something more…recent."

"You can't say that it doesn't work Archer."

"No, I can't say that. It did kill that guard back there. I guess if it isn't broken, it's good. But it must be hell tryin' to find ammo for that thing though."

"Yeah…" Sentinel responded as they splashed through a murky puddle near the railing. Looking up ahead, Sentinel noticed a lamp that had a string tied in a bow knot around it, along with a large, grated drainage pipe.

"There."

"I see it, I see it. Hopefully that woman made it too…"

Archer shut his eyes tightly, coughing. "Damn, I can't wait to get the hell out of here. I knew sewers smelled like shit, but this is flat out disgustin'."

"Urgh, what do you expect when the Rockets have been dumping bodies in here."

They stepped directly underneath the lamp, Sentinel shining his light back to see if they had been followed while Archer looked ahead down the sewer. "All clear."

"Same here. Let's go in then." Archer responded, his flashlight swinging to view the dirty brick wall they stood next to, coated with a strange film of fluid…

"Yuck...the stench makes me wanna puke…" Archer mumbled to himself before tapping the a brick above him that was gray three times, then a red one jutting from the wall at his right foot once, and finally he pounded against a dull red one in front of his face twice.

The grate on the drainage pipe nearby swung open with a noticeable squeaking sound while a green light beeped dimly on the side of it. Motioning his head to follow, Archer walked quickly to the pipe, waving his hand in front of his nose while looking inside the pipe with his flashlight. "Authentic smell in here too, dammit. Well, it is good to keep hidden…"

Archer got down on his chest and crawled into the pipe, his flashlight held in front of him to light the way. Following suit, Sentinel quickly looked around first with his flashlight before going in after Archer. With another squeak, the grate closed behind them.

…

"Here we are…" Archer said, reaching a corner of the pipe with a flat wall. Reaching forward with his free hand, he gave the wall two knocks, this time making the metal slide down to reveal what looked like a dimly-lit basement with many crates stacked on the sides. A woman with long blue hair sat at a table, looking over several papers that were there.

Crawling out of the pipe and into the room, Archer stood up and turned off his flashlight while Sentinel came out of the pipe after him. As soon as he was out, the small section of the wall that had gone up to allow them entrance slid back into place, revealing its outside texture of a stone that fit back in with other large, square stones.

"You're here a little early."

Archer checked his watch quickly, putting his flashlight into his pouch. "1:26 a.m. There's nothing wrong with being four minutes early, Jenny."

"Agreed. Let's begin here." She said as both snipers walked to the table and sat in the chairs there, Sentinel eyeing the supply data while Archer looked over the map.

Jenny motioned her head back towards three bottles that sat atop a box behind her. Looking past her, Sentinel didn't even need to read the label to recognize the ruby-red liquid inside.

"Do you men want a drink?"

The older sniper's head snapped up, shaking back and forth. "No thanks, ma'am. You won't believe what kind of trouble I got into because of that shit before."

"Fine."

"…How many guys are willin' to help us here?"

"So far I've counted out that about five hundred people are going to help us out. Including this place there's five hidden armories around the city, and we should have workable amounts of firepower." She explained, pointing out the locations on the map of Viridian in front of her.

"As soon as the army attacks we're planning to have a revolt occur from within that should allow enough confusion to erupt that we'll be able to get the armories, arm ourselves, and fight the Rockets from inside the city."

She crossed her arms on the table, waiting for their response. Archer looked away from her, his vision stopping on each individual box that he could see inside the room.

"Damn, you people must've lost a lot of guys trying to smuggle in these weapons."

"We've lost plenty to the Rockets. They just killed about seventy in the line-up today when they thought those people were trying to help us. Almost all of those people were innocent of any of those accusations…it just makes me sick. Along with me, many of the people here are willing to die fighting than waiting here for them to starve and break us."

"You better be sure as hell that you're holding to that. I can tell you right now a lot of people are going to die. Rockets, armymen, the volunteers, and bystanders are going to get killed. We can no more absolutely assure you that our attack will kick out these bastards. Understand?"

She held her fist to her chest, head bowed. "As a police officer I stood to uphold justice and law. I was going to give my life in the name of the people. I'm willing to do that more than ever now."

Archer coughed, tired old eyes shutting for a moment. Taking in a sharp breath, he nodded. "Good. It's like my ol' grandpa used to say when I was a boy:.."

"You can't win something without sacrificing something in exchange."

…

_Team Rocket will destroy everything if they have that weapon._

_They would never stop with just the Army. Maybe ten years ago, but not now. The moment that they control that power, all could very well be lost. _

_I don't truly know if what Shadow and Light said could be true, but it's not a good thought. I've read and thought on what the Masters who came before me left behind, and they did leave behind the story of the weapon. _

_Death's Hand…_

_The weapon which, over a millennia ago, nearly destroyed everything. _

_I don't know just how much I'll be needed in the Army's attack, but this is far more important. Losing a command is much better than losing the rest of Kanto and all the people in it. _

…

"Searching Viridian is the best way to go right now. Considering how stubborn they've been trying to defend it, they must be hiding something."

"Viridian isn't much of a city anymore…from what I've seen, Team Rocket has made it more like a massive death camp."

(And who would put it past them…)

(I wouldn't think anyone would, Light.)

Light rushed to the next bush, looking ahead from behind its side. Though the light provided by the crescent above was miniscule, it was enough for all of them to see.

Bolt crouched on the rough bark of a tree limb. Shifting his view to the right of him, he could see Shadow standing cautiously on a branch from another tree.

Ash's untamed hair bent with the breeze pushing through, carrying the distant roar of a fighter jet's engines somewhere in the sky to the east. The tufts of black that grew from the back of his head lay on the thick, navy blue vest he wore as armor.

He closed his eyes and breathed out, focusing quietly. Inhaling, he opened his eyes, transformed from their natural brown to a glowing, jemlike blue.

The auras of several creatures came to his view. He could see waves of energy emanating from the shrubs and trees, even the grass. Above him and somewhat in front, Bolt's aura stood a magnificent sapphire like his own, while Shadow's looked like a dark yellow that rapidly intensified into bright gold at the center.

But the one things that caught his attention most was Light's; Light's aura was bright gold already near the edge of its flare, while pure, crystallized white stood out in the center. It felt blinding, actually making Ash grunt as he averted his view away.

He looked ahead now, concentrating to zoom in farther away into the forest. Different energies shimmered all around like in a massive, surreal painting. Near a large rock and a cluster of bushes, three human-shaped energies and one shaped like a Golem stood, two of the humans looking back in his general direction, though not directly at him.

Of course, as far away as they were, they probably weren't able to see Ash anyway.

"…Okay. Everyone, move east so we can go around them. There's no one in that direction."

_Let's get going, then._

Paw marks were crunched into the wood where Shadow stood before. Sighing, Bolt jumped across the branches after him, followed by Light and Ash below. Each moment Bolt could hear a small cracking sound every time Shadow rushed off another branch in front of him.

_I wouldn't be surprised if the force he's putting on these branches will make one snap off. His heart's in the right place, but he doesn't seem to think about consequences sometimes. _

Light sprinted underneath them, doing her best to keeps each, quick step silent. More chills rose in the air, followed by leaves blowing off their branches.

Ash looked left, breathing efficiently with his run. Again, none of the Rockets he had spotted were paying any attention to them. Instead, the two that had been looking around were now having some sort of argument, while the third human had taken to talking to the Golem via its translator collar.

Nodding to himself, he kept going at a constant, high pace to keep up with the naturally faster 'Chus.

Criss-crossing wires in square patterns sawed through the forest in front of them. Beyond the wall of metal, one could see a few buildings that were dimly lit, along with about two gun turrets that had four Rockets each manning them.

Light slid to a stop at the fence, taking note of the barbed wire that sprawled on the top of it. Blue sparks could be seen discharging from the iron wall every few seconds. Above her, Shadow stared to have his first sight of occupied Viridian.

People were being lined up on the street that bordered many small houses, each with some form of damage. One was burnt out from the inside, two of them had their roofs collapsed, and a third barely had a mere section of a bedroom standing amongst jumbled timber and brick.

The state of the people shocked Shadow; their clothing was mostly torn and burnt, while many only had a loosely stitched pair of pants to go in. Only one of the fifteen people that were there actually had shoes, and all of them looked like they hadn't eaten in weeks. Every single person had iron cuffs that brought their arms together in front of them.

"…Damn. Haven't they killed enough innocent people already?" Ash murmured spitefully below, cracking the joints in his right hand. Growls could be heard from Bolt across from Shadow. Shadow himself was gripping into the bark of the tree with his short claws, jaw tightened under his lips.

Again, cold swam across his body, like a strange energy running through him. It felt like he had just barely experienced his dark aura charging over him before instantly disappearing. He could even see Bolt shivering a little, along with Light below, almost flinching with a fearful look on her face. Ash was the only one that stood calm, though sweat appeared on his forehead. "Did you all feel that?"

(Yes.) (Yeah.) Light and Shadow said respectively, while Bolt nodded. (That was a small wave of dark energy…)

"Which means…the generator you two told me about is very real, and it's here, somewhere in Viridian."

Light focused back on the group, seeing more Rockets leading another in to the line. Her eyes softened with sadness at the sight: it was just a young boy, who could've very well only have been ten. Splotches of black and gray dirtied his face, along with the tattered clothing he wore. A greasy reflection cast off his medium-length brown hair.

A bigger Rocket grunt stepped in front of the group while another four stood by, watching with apparent anticipation. The bigger grunt looked back to them, sliding his heavy laser pistol out of a large holster at his thigh. He pointed at the group of captives in front of him, followed by one of the four grunts pointing towards a younger woman and laughing with the rest of the four.

Rage rose sharply within Shadow as one of the men walked over to her and yanked her from the group, despite her pleas. Another of the group, a young man that wore a torn leather jacket and jeans, took a step forward and protested to this.

"You can't do this! That's my sister you Rocket piece of shit!"

The bigger grunt shrugged uncaringly and leveled his pistol at the teenager. The teen stood in shock as a loud crack sounded, followed by a laser tearing a hole through his left pectoral muscle milliseconds later.

The girl screamed as her brother fell to his knees with blood flooding he ground beneath him. Again, the large grunt leveled his pistol at the teen, this time blasting chunks of skull of his head from point-blank range.

"Fuck this! Are we just going to stay here and do NOTHING?" Shadow yelled angrily, his voice almost rising high enough to where those grunts could've heard. Ash cast a warning look at him, conflicted. "We can't help them without compromising…!"

He looked back to the group, seeing the man aim at an old man before firing again, the two remaining grunts behind him talking amongst themselves while smirking with rifles in hand.

Above him, Bolt nodded in agreement with Shadow. (Ash, those people need our help!)

"…Keep it quiet."

His pistol spun in his hand as he walked to the end of the line-up, in front of the boy. Streaks cut through the grime on his face where his tears had begun to trail down, leading into small, blackish puddles on the ground. Murmurs went through the line as they watched fearfully, the grunt pointing his gun at the boy…

(Not this time!)

The grunt looked up in confusion just as Shadow lunged up from behind the boy and smashed a Thunderpunch into the man's brains, making him throw up his pistol as fragments of bloody skull were thrown to the sides and onto Shadow.

Behind him the other two Rockets jumped from the surprise. Regaining composure, one of them aimed for Shadow. "You little-!"

Light had sliced an Iron Tail through his neck, sawing it halfway open as he stumbled back, clutching for the body part that was now spewing blood from its jugular. From out of nowhere near the gunners near the fence, a short stroke of electricity came down like lightning from the trees, instantly incinerating the poor Rocket that was directly under it. From out of the lightning, dashing out towards the other three, stunned gunners was Bolt.

Ash danced with his electrical saber, cutting down one Rocket with three rapid slashes that tore open his chest before twisting over his falling body to bring down his Lightning Blade on another's head.

Shadow picked up the pistol that the grunt had been using and ran over to one of the prisoners. Though confused and panicked at first along with everyone else, a man with a great white beard took the gun between his hands, carefully kneeling down to shoot the chain that held together another's binds. Seconds later that man shot through a girl's next to him, all while the short skirmish finished with Light tripping up a Rocket for Bolt to get under and stab through his chest with Lightning Blade.

Ash inhaled as he looked over the corpses, his aura sight detecting no aura coming from the Rockets on the ground. He rushed over to the group in front of Shadow and pointed to the fence. "I'll cut a hole through the fence so you all can get through. Grab some of these guy's weapons, and run like there's no tomorrow. Got it?"

Many of the people nodded simply, most running towards the Rocket's corpses to quickly grab what they could. Some grabbed rifles, others their pistols, and some even simply took a knife.

Shadow followed them to the fence, looking around for any more Rockets. At that moment, Ash summoned the electrical beam to his side again and swung his arm, creating a shower of sparks as the Lightning Blade sliced a massive hole into the fence, leaving its halves to sag down as the space of tangled metal in-between the slashes fell.

All of them ran through the opening like stampeding bulls, disappearing into the forest as all of them looked on. Turning back toward the 'Chus, Ash sighed. "We need to get low, and find the generator. It's definitely somewhere here and as soon as we find it…"

The rest of his words were lost in the midst of a sharp, agonized cry that blasted through Shadow's head, followed by another wave of cold. No, he did not hear it...rather, it was in his mind.

And he could see that the other three had heard it. For one, Ash had suddenly frozen, looking at the rest of the city with anxiety evident on his face. To the right of him, Bolt shifted uneasily with his gritted teeth showing from under his frown.

Light went pale under her fur, shivering as her eyes dilated a bit. She looked down to her hind legs, shuffling her feet nervously. (Did…did anyone else hear that?)

"Loud and horrifyingly clear. It sounds like something needs our help…and desperately…"

…

Sentinel combed back his sleek brown hair with his hand, feeling the sweat attach itself to his palm. Meanwhile, Misty's voice came through his radio once more:

"All I know is that he's left me with direct command for now. He left here just about two hours ago with his Pikachu, Light and Shadow."

"Heh, so when did he tell YOU about Shadow? I just learned a couple days ago."

"I've known for about a week now. If Ash trusts him, then I'm sure we can."

"I figured that part out. So what's he doing here then?"

She paused on the other side of the radio, leaving Sentinel to watch Archer put on a more urban ghillie suit in shades of gray and black. While the old sniper slid some magazines into his pocket, Misty's voice came over the radio again.

"He said…that they're looking for some sort of weapon."

Sentinel looked over at Jenny, who was busy inspecting some of the laser rifles that was inside a box next to several others. "What kind of weapon?"

"All I know is that he said this thing 'just had to be destroyed'…in other words whatever he's looking for is very dangerous at the least…"

"…so is the uprising ready to start?"

"Hold on."

Sentinel took the speaker clip from his mouth. "Jenny, about how prepared is the revolt?"

"The five hundred that will help lead it are spreading it through the people right now. The revolt should be ready for the signal at any time by now. They'll lead whoever's willing to fight to these caches, and as they kill Rocket's they'll pick up their weapons and keep going."

"…Ready then? Misty here is wondering whether we should get on with it."

The officer put a finger to her mouth, tapping it lightly in a rhythm upon her lips as her eyes wondered, thinking. "We can send out the signal when they do the line-ups tomorrow…or, later today…at six."

Archer snickered beneath his bushy, gray mustache. "What do you know, Sentinel. We're only hours away from either kickin' ass…or gettin' kicked in the ass. Maybe I should take some of Jenny's vodka with me for a boost, eh?"

"No sir…you might shoot one of us."

"You're right about that…an' that's why I shouldn't get drunk when I have a gun on me."

Archer adjusted the nylon strap on his rifle, patting it. "I'm going out to start a little diversion then…"

"Careful. These Rocket's are everywhere around the city."

Archer hit his fist on his right magazine bag, and then slid his ghillie hood over his head. "I've got twenty rounds per clip here. I'm carrying five clips in two bags each, plus the one clip in the rifle already, so that's 220 rounds. I think I'll make due. I'll start the little rampage around four to get some of the Rockets away from the line ups. That should give the rest of you less resistance to get through."

Jenny rubbed her neck, dropping one of the rifles she ahd back into a weapon box. "Good luck sir."

"And you too, woman. I'm sure this would've been harder to do without you."

Sentinel took a sip from the small shot glass he had gotten, savoring the taste of the vodka in his mouth. The next moment the sound of the fake metal wall behind him rising sounded, followed by the sound of Archer crawling back into the pipes and the metal grinding back into place.

"Good luck old man."

…

"_Our spies, sir…"_

"_*cough!* I already know that we have certain *cough!* guests in the city. That little…*cough!*…Pikachu is with the famed…*cough!*…Master. So is his own Pikachu and the Raichu."_

"…_Hmm…what is the scientific method to*cough!* solve your problem?"_

"_To form a hypothesis, sir." _

"_*cough!*…Ah, correct. Our dilemma is*cough!*…Shadow and his friends are in the city. No doubt that*cough!**cough!*…they have others somewhere in the city. My first…heh…'hypothesis' is that they're here*cough!*…to destroy the Machine. It's already being tested…our answer will come when they eventually make it*cough!*…here or not."_

"_Second…how to stop them if they do seek it?" _

_AAAIIIEEE!_

"_It's awake, sir! Should I put it back to sleep?"_

"…_no…it has just*cough!*…"_

"…_given me an idea of how to deal with Shadow and the rest of them." _

"…_Perhaps…we can*cough!*…"_

"…_Use them as a field test."_

…

The concrete beneath Shadow's paws felt cold no matter where he ran or jumped; each rooftop was the same in this block of former businesses.

In front of the group, Light slid to a stop next to a ventilation unit, crouching behind it. As soon as Shadow made contact with the hard roof, he ran to the edge of the building, hiding in the silhouette of the concrete barriers surrounding the roof. Bolt joined him in mere seconds as Ash moved in a crouched position to an air conditioner unit opposite Light's. Looking back over his shoulder to the next rooftop, he pointed up towards several creatures flying in the sky.

"They've got flying types and a UAV up in the air. I'll take that out. Meanwhile you three keep going on. You two let Light lead on."

(Got it.) Both Pikachu said at the same time. Nodding, Light ran out from behind the unit and jumped to the next building. As she went by, Shadow could see a streak of white flash from her eyes.

…_Okay. She knows what she's doing. _

Bolt dashed out from his hiding place by Shadow and jumped to the next roof, close by Light. Moments later, Shadow grunted as he landed on the next roof and dashed after them.

As soon as he saw Light suddenly lead them down below the rooftops, Ash looked up to the sky and carefully looked over each thing in the sky. There were about twelve in the sky at the moment, and he immediately ruled out the ones he saw with a rider.

The other six all flew in random directions everywhere. However, he spotted one that was just too straight-winged to be a Pokémon. He pointed his finger at the object as a bright flame appeared in front of it…

_Flare Cannon. _

A Fearow in the sky roared as it was forced to veer up when a streak of red flame shot up from the darkened city below and smashed into the Recon glider in front of it, causing a massive explosion that stuck several shards of metal into its body.

Chunks of metal fell from the sky, covered in flames. Meanwhile, Ash could hear the sounds of many Rockets coming towards him from the ground. Some of the Pokémon in the air turned and begun to dive in as well. Sighing, his eyes blued over with his aura while flame overtook his left hand and electricity took his right…

…_I better hide…if not, this'll definitely be a test for me…_

…

"This is KAM-TS Sniper Unit 3-Actual, codename 'Archer', number 10073206; Somebody just took out the UAV Recon glider."

"Got it. That should make it easier to go about, Archer. Proceed with your part."

Archer smirked under his gray balaclava, looking down at the two Rocket grunts he had already killed at his feet near the windows he was looking out of. "Already in progress."

The radio beeped out as Archer ran through the office cubicles, looking everywhere around him for any hidden grunts. Water splashed under his feet from a section of carpet that had become bogged in water leaking from the ceiling. Papers and folders littered the ground all around, with many of the computers in their cubicles covered with dust from disuse.

"Now, which way to the roo-woah!" He grunted as he saw a Rocket grunt suddenly swing around from a cubicle and fire his gun from afar, uttering a battle cry. Cursing to himself, Archer ducked behind a wall, watching a trail of lasers pass by him. Nodding, he took his pistol from its holster and simply fired it around the corner without even looking.

The sound of blood splattering graced his ears, followed by a thumb on the ground. The old sniper got up on his feet and turned the corner, walking down the hallway to the dead Rocket.

Archer shook his head and sighed, eyeing the young features of the Rocket. He had to have been only seventeen or so. Blood began to seep down from the hole between his forehead, with his eyes eerily staring off into the ceiling above. "Boy, I've been doing this for years and I can't believe I've had shoot down another misguided dumbass like you. You've got to be the fourth kid I've had to kill in this war."

Archer shook his head and stepped over the boy, continuing into a hallway while holstering his gun. A few lights flickered dimly overhead, buzzing with wasted electricity. Taking as light steps as possible, Archer went through the hall without making any noticeable sound at all. He kept his sniper rifle pointed out in front of him with his finger always on the trigger.

Soon he came upon a stairwell that led up, with a sign that simply read 'roof access' hanging above a traffic sign-like picture of a staircase. Peering up, Archer let his rifle fall to his side and instead drew his pistol again, aiming it up towards the rest of the stairs while keeping a gloved hand on the railing.

He went over the details in his head as he put down a motion sensor from his bag and onto a corner of the stairs. Ash was somewhere in the city, likely staging a diversion from the revolt. It was now 4:24 a.m., meaning the revolt was to start in about one and a half hours. In other words, the army was probably just a half mile from here by now. A weak light began to rise from the east, meaning sniping should be a little easier with time.

Most of all, he was outgunned right now. A very good challenge like him who could not be beaten when it came to accuracy

He contemplated more as he quietly stepped out into the night air. Air conditioner units topped the ceiling, with vents lining out from them before diving into the building. Creeping to the edge, he observed his surrounding area

"This office is pretty damn high up…which means an ol' sniper like me is in heaven."

Placing the sensor's tracker to the side of his view, he took his sniper rifle and dusted off the top of the scope before looking through. One hand stayed on its top, adjusting every so often for range.

_Those flying types are gettin' low. Good thing I can stay still. _

The thin black crosshairs of his scope wandered over the flying Pokémon that were diving down towards one location. Spotting one that was diving into a straight line within his sights, he gave the trigger a quick press. In the moment he could see the shadow of blood spray out of a Pokémon's head before it stopped flapping it wings and fell straight down.

"Exported a Staraptor from Sinnoh for this fate, huh? Fuckers." Archer whispered as he slid his crosshairs over a line of people with their hands cuffed behind them. A single grunt led them, while two more were at the sides of the line and another corralled them from the back, with help from a rather bloodthirsty-looking Houndoom.

_It looks prisoner of war doesn't apply to just army personnel for them._

…

(It's close! We're almost there!) Light shouted to them, stopping in the shadow of an overgrown bush by a rotted, wooden fence. Through the holes in the fence, Shadow could see that a large, rectangular building rested at the corner of a large intersection. Despite the heavy damage to its façade, he could see that a hollowed-out Pokéball symbol adorned the front while four Rocket grunts with gas masks guarded it.

_Viridian Gym. _

Bolt's right paw was held to the side of his head. His eyes were closed, as if he were concentrating on something…

(Is the gym the place, Light?)

(It has to be. I'm getting chills from that place…and the feeling won't go away. The weapon has to be in there.)

Shadow peered through the fence, grimacing. (…Here comes Ash…)

Seconds later the Master jumped over another side of the fence, expertly rolling to a stop and kneeling by them. He wiped glistening sweat from his face. "Do any of you feel that?"

Shadow tensed up, sighing. (If you mean a sinking feeling, yeah, I feel it.)

"Hey you!"

Shadow needed no signal to send electricity in the direction of the voices as lasers already sliced into the air towards them. The sound of electricity zapping behind him heralded a massive Thunderbolt from Bolt that nearly threw him off balance.

A small team of Rockets ran at them with a Raticate and a Charmeleon. One of them quickly ripped a grenade from his side and pulled the pin out with his teeth before lobbing it towards Ash.

Light dashed around the fence as quickly as she could, ignoring the terrible sounds of lasers smashing into the ground just a foot or so from her each time she dodged. The feeling was getting stronger and stronger; chilling, and burning as well. Despair that was heavy in the air like a poisonous gas, sapping away any kind of happiness she may have had at the moment.

Shadow ducked under the white hot jet of flame expelled from the Charmeleon's mouth, taking off after his friend. (Light! Are you crazy?)

Beams shot right over her head. Sharp twinges exploded from one of her ears as a laser burned through the soft tissue on the top of one. Nearby blood exploded from a grunt's head…

…

"Ooh boy, just like hunting Stantler." Archer whispered to himself with another successful headshot. His mustache twitched with his lip as he refocused his sights over a gas-masked soldier and fired again, then again and again at two more. Though he was able to restrain himself from laughing, a smile still formed from his mouth.

_Yep. Just like huntin' Stantler…_

The watch on his arm continued to tick, this time reading 5:21 a.m. Below many lights were starting to come on from buildings that had barbed wire around them.

"A lot of Rockets are gonna be out…I better switch to…'anti-personel' rounds…"

Archer took out his backpack from under his ghillie suit, quickly unzipping the bag.

He seized a medium sized cardboard box that read '.300 WinMag HE' and ripped open its outside, grabbing the large, nickel colored round from inside and ripping out the magazine he had in his rifle already. The bullets he had left out of the magazine clicked on the cement as they dropped out, replaced by the special, high explosive rounds he was loading instead.

He pulled the bolt back on his rifle to eject the bullet that was in there to load a HE round instead.

"I bet they won't like high explosive bullets…eh, HE rounds…ah, fuck it."

…

"_Hmph…their*cough!* army is at our doorstep…"_

_AAAIIIIEEEE!_

"_*cough!*…are you ready…my pet?"_

_BAAAAH!_

"_Oh, you would*cough* like to join them? Fine. *cough!*…A crazed creature…*cough!*…like yourself would certainly…*cough!*…be a handful for them…"_

"_Open the top hatch…" _

"_Sir?"_

"_You may retreat if you*cough!* want. I believe I must explain some things to these fools."_

…

The Rockets on the street suddenly turned tail and began to run away from the gym, including the gas-masked men. Shadow stopped on the lawn of the gym, somewhat confused as Light made her way up the steps of the entrance.

Ash looked around at the retreating grunts before calmly absorbing the electricity from his Lightning blade back into his body. Bolt stood at his back, looking back at him. (what do you think is going on?)

"Something bad, I'm sure."

As soon as he said this, the ground beneath Shadow began to shake, separating from a crevice that began to split from the earth.

Light spun around towards the hole opening up, her white aura suddenly flaring. Cursing, Shadow backed away from it as Ash and Bolt ran to his side.

"*cough!*…Greetings…one and all!"

Short, orange hair grew from the rising head of a man in a wheelchair, suspended by a platform that rose from the ten yard hole. A green liquid was contained in a plastic pack that was suspended on a small hook by the man's head. The man himself wore a gray, button-down business suit that was underneath a plain white lab coat. Plain khaki pants extended down his legs.

Namba grinned while pushing up his plastic-framed glasses. His otherwise young face showed signs of fatigue, such as a noticeable line of wrinkles on his forehead. Despite the fact that Shadow was alight with static just fifteen yards away, he seemed relaxed with his arms on the wheelchair's rests.

"If it isn't…*cough!* my 'killer's' creation…and the Pokémon Master himself. You're just in time to be the one to test…my two newest creations…"

"For being a scientist, crazy as you are, you're a fool for showing your face to me." Ash said coldly. Namba shrugged in his seat and raised a small remote. "Am I?"

The glass on the gym doors shattered all over Light as a loud rumble came from within. Taking a peek in, her face showed visible alarm.

(!) Light ran from the front doors as a large Pokemon smashed through the doors, ripping them right of their hinges and into twisted heaps as it slid to a stop on the grass by Namba, slamming its front feet hard into the ground.

_What the…_

Shadow was instantly puzzled by its appearance; its body was dinosaur-like in appearance, with three broad, sharp toenails on each of its feet. Large, spiny black leaves ringed the bottom of its long neck, which faded from the greenish-yellow of the rest of its body to dull, grayish yellow. A black leather collar with a crimson 'R' was seated above the leaves. Two, overlapping leaves sprouted from the top of its head, spiny and black like the leaves on its neck. Curved fangs stuck out from its upper jaw past its lower lip, while its jet-black eyes reflected the lights in the street.

"It's not difficult to tell, but I gave this Bayleef some…'enhancements'. The Machine was able to give it far more dangerous powers than it had before. Sad to say, it lost its mind just recently, otherwise I wouldn't have to keep it restrained by the collar you see on its neck."

"…This is…" Ash whispered to himself, his jaw dropping slightly. Bolt was silent with his own look of shock, wide-eyed next to Shadow.

Namba coughed heavily as the mutant Bayleef ground the soil under its right front foot. "That's right…*cough!*…when you won the League championship years ago you had a Bayleef among your team, didn't you, Ketchum? Considering that we *cough!* captured this one during the attack on Pallet…I'd say she's yours, isn't she? If she still had her mind intact she might've been happy to see you…oh well."

Another large explosion sounded from the gym as several cracks ran through its concrete. Then another…

Light clutched Shadow's left paw tightly, looking to the gym as another rumble came from it. (…the gym…!)

AAAIIIIEEEE!

…

"…What the fuckin' hell is that?" Archer said as he adjusted his scope to zoom in on the monstrous bird that exploded from the top of the gym, destroying the entire building in the process. Waves of dust and concrete rained down from all around the area, shrouding all below the debris.

"…Did he…"

"…did he fuse the legendary birds?"

…

Dust covered them, still floating in the air as a fine shade of gray. Meanwhile, the sounds of gunfire could be heard from afar. Powerful gusts of wind fanned from overhead, nearly blowing all of them off their feet. Ash ducked, gritting his teeth while the 'Chus all fell to all fours, grasping at the ground. Shadow could feel heat and cold come in waves through the air, all while his ears flapped violently through the gust. With another scream, the creature landed to the left of Namba.

"*cough!*…Impressed? This is…a little creation of mine I'd like to dub…Zapmolcuno."

It was the torso and head of Moltres, with the body, head and supersized right wing of Zapdos fused to its right while on its left Articuno's torso, head and magnified left wing stood out. Static, icy mist and flame ran all over their combined bodies. Articuno's eyes emanated a light blue, like the frost around its remaining wing; Zapdos's were deep yellow like the static on its own wing; and in Moltres's eyes was a bright red.

Dark energy flared around Shadow's paws. "You're insane! First you've twisted normal Pokémon, and now you've corrupted the legendary birds?"

"Of course. I'm the first to do it…thus I need to test whether such a combination would be*cough!*…successful in the future…and I think I'll test their combined form on*cough!*"

"…Kanto Army. Beast! You know what to do! DESTROY the Kanto Army!"

The separate heads of Zapmolcuno screeched as one before raising its wings and pushing down with a powerful wave of its combined elemental power. The ground under it froze and burned as it hovered in the air for a moment, then soared high into the air with a trail of ice shards, static and flame.

"*cough!*…just so you know, this isn't the real me." Namba said before reaching up to his face seizing it, peeling away his face to reveal a small screen in the middle of a tangle of chips and wires, with the real Namba onscreen. Wherever he was, he was likely far away.

"Damn you! Your tests were always fucked up when I was in Team Rocket, and coming near death just made you crazier!" Shadow yelled. Onscreen, Namba simply wagged his finger. "I doubt you'll find me soon…*cough!* …I have other plans. This is the day you might've just come too far, Shadow. Even with the Master, do you really think you can defeat LEGENDS?"

"When I find you…!" Shadow growled as the Bayleef mutant stepped in front of the fake Namba. The Namba in the screen laughed. "I dare you…until then…"

"Bayleef…KILL THEM!"

…

…

Things are going to get bad, real soon…

R&R, everyone! What do YOU think is going to happen next?


	9. Chpt VIII: Broken

Chapter VIII: Broken

October 1, 2061 6:17 a.m.

"_Ow!"_

_Ash's Bayleef sat on top of him, smiling happily while is mother and Professor Oak laughed in the lab behind her. (You're back! You're finally back!) _

_A pained smile twitched on his face. Besides her, he could swear he was seeing stars. "Augh…glad to see you too, Bayleef…now, could you get off? You're crushing me…" _

_(Huh?) She said, looking down at the rest of him, realizing that most of her was indeed on top of him. Next to them, Bolt had his mouth covered, with small squeaks of laughter escaping every second or so. _

"_It's not funny, Bolt…Bayleef, can you get off already?" _

_(…sorry.) She said meekly before raising herself off of him and stepping aside so he could get up…_

…

She swung her great neck around, spraying a dangerous Razor Leaf attack at them with barbed, black leaves that looked more like arrowheads.

Black energy trails hung in the sir behind where they had shot, such as just over Shadow's head when he dodged and in the place where Ash's neck was at one time.

BAAAAAUUGH!

(Tch!)

Shadow grunted heavily as he flipped back, experiencing a beating from the force of small black energy waves that exploded form her front legs just as she stomped into the ground where he once was after charging. Again, she drove her front legs into the ground, this time, screaming up into the air as the ground split under her.

Lines of cracked and quickly churning soil shot towards Light and Shadow. With a great whipping sound, gigantic spiked roots ripped up from the ground along the ruined ground.

_Frenzy Plant!_

The Master dove through a loop in the root, flipping from his hands to his feet and then swinging viciously at…

…his own Bayleef with the Lightning Blade…

Air caught in his lungs as he slid at the last moment, smashing the electrical saber into her front legs rather than her head. Rips tore in the padded vest he wore where the thorns came up from underneath.

Previously unseen roots ripped up from the ground, expelling chunks of rock and soil into the air. Some large, thorned roots rose from the ground in front of her like a defensive shield as she screeched; sounding more like an Ethereal than the Bayleef she actually was…

"Why'd you slide? You could've killed it right there!" Shadow yelled as he charged electricity through his body, ready to do the job Ash didn't do there.

(You obviously don't get it, Shadow…that was a dear friend of mine and his.) Bolt said beside him, having been restraining himself from using more powerful attacks thus far.

(…Oh.)

…

"How do you like it when we're the ones shooting you, huh?"

"Shut up and shoot." Sentinel said to the boy in the tattered clothing next to him who was firing off random pot shots from behind the overturned truck they had hidden behind. Short beams streaked from the edge of the truck, some hitting the concrete barrier that Jenny and a few other armed citizens had hidden behind on the other side of the narrow roadway, firing over the top of it.

"Keep hiding, ya army fucks!" A Rocket's voice yelled.

Jenny got up on her knees and let off a long burst of lasers from her rifle. A sound like squelching pulp filled the air, followed by a thump. "What was that?"

"This range is too close…" Sentinel muttered as he folded his scope to the rifle's side. He edged to the side of the truck, flipping up the hard plastic back sight on his gun…

AAAIIIIEEEE!

Sentinel froze in place, looking up in awe at the combined legendary birds flying by overhead, launching waves of cold and heat through him. For the moment that it came his radio had begun to buzz randomly before descending into constant static.

The lasers weren't coming anymore.

"Fuck!" He heard one of the Rockets yell, fiddling with some sort of metal device. Raising his eyebrows, sentinel looked over the top of the truck to see all four of the remaining Rocket grunts pounding on or checking the power cells on their AK-159s. The guns seemed to be sparking.

"First off, what the hell was that? And second, it busted my gun!" The boy next to sentinel scowled as he dropped his sparking gun. Looking to the other side of the street, Sentinel could see Jenny and the rest of them angrily trying to fix their malfunctioning weapons as well.

_It's broken all electrical devices…_

Unlike everyone else, Sentinel's rifle was not sparking. For that matter, it wasn't electricity powered, so…

Sentinel smirked as he rose up from behind the truck and walked right into the middle of the street, aiming the sigths of his rifle at one of the Rockets.

The Rocket froze as he saw the sniper, gulping. "That thing's…a normal sniper rifle…?"

"Yep."

"So that means…"

"Congratulations. You're now fucked."

The lead ripped through the Rocket's light forehead, blowing off his cap in the process. With no time to waste Sentinel pulled out his 1911 and blew the brains out another grunt that was turning to escape. As for the last one, he tripped over himself as he tried to get up, allowing Sentinel to run up and lock his arm around his neck.

"Gaahk…AAghk!" The Rocket choked as he felt pieces of his gut get blown out of him from behind. Whistling, Sentinel let the body drop to the ground. As blood formed a puddle under it, Jenny and the rest of the group approached.

"Great. Our guns are busted."

"You can use my 1911 if you want."

Jenny looked taken aback by the antique weapon in Sentinel's grasp. In this time, a firearm with wooden furniture was ridiculous, after all. It would normally burn from the heat caused by lasers.

"…Are you going to stare or take it?"

"Oh, sorry." Jenny said hurriedly, grabbing the pistol as the buzz of helicopter rotors sounded overhead.

…

Archer lined up two Rockets running below and fired. While the bullet blasted apart the first man's skull, the second ended up getting hit directly in the heart. As he fell down scrambling with a pale face, the bullet exploded within him, blasting off his entire left arm. Several tattered-looking civilians ran from the office building-turned prison, with some taking up the weapons of the many Rockets littered on the ground who had become the unfortunate victims of the old man.

Black helicopters had begun to descend on the city, each instantly recognized by the red 'R' they sported on their sides. Each, however, went nowhere near the airspace of the Zapmolcuno…

The blue and grey vest of a Kanto soldier blackened under the fireball it was under, along with the rest of the man's flying body. A single, massive Thunderbolt blasted down from the sky and into the Zapdos side's beak, concentrating. With a roar of energy, electricity blasted from its mouth and ripped the road apart in front of them as they took off again.

A massive fireball from the Moltres's beak absolutely destroyed the intersection below it. The street ripped up to expose the sewer running underneath, experiencing the same scorching temperature unleashed by the blast.

"RUN, DAMMIT! RU-!" A Kanto soldier yelled, cut off by the wave of cold that instantly froze him and three others, including a Typhlosion. Screeching triumphantly, the Zapmolcuno soared high into the air and hovered, all three of its heads touching their beaks.

A fiery sphere formed, then an icy sphere and finally another of bright yellow electricity, circling in front of their beaks. In unison, they all screamed before launching the Tri Attack down at the road.

Even Archer could feel the building he was on rumble. Ripples of dust and other debris flew through the air around the massive blast. Ripping, crushing, the tearing of concrete all went through the air, accompanied by the faint sound of several voices screaming in terror…

Black and grey smoke rose from the crumpled buildings. Fire plumed in the mushroom cloud; massive surges of static sprang up and struck into the air from the blast site; a cool mist hung over the annihilation.

Some of the bodies were covered in frost, while others twitched erratically as electricity ran through their nerves. Near the blast site itself only blackened skeletons remained. The entire block that the Zapmolcuno flew above was obliterated.

_Holy…_

Archer stared, dumbstruck at the extent of chaos that the birds just unleashed. After a few moments, he grasped his rifle and breathed out heavily.

"…I gotta take out that damn thing before it kills everyone…" He whispered to himself as he adjusted his scope again while explosions went off in the distance. This time, he centered the crosshairs of his scope over the legendary bird hybrid….

A flash exploded on the Articuno's side, causing it to screech as blood dripped down from the massive wound on its wing. Being that it was on the joint, Archer was sure that it could no longer fly as it began to go into an uneven dive at the ground, crashing its Zapdos side into a row of buildings that crumbled with blasts of static…

Another explosion at the base of its opposite wing made both the Zapdos and Moltres parts scream as the entire creature slammed into the ground while the buildings that had been stricken collapsed behind, leaving a mist of dust in the air that was accompanied by the shouts and screams of many of the combatants on the ground.

…

(Ash, this is taking too long! We have to go and stop the birds before they destroy the army!) Bolt yelled while sending another shot of electricity at Bayleef.

Ash jumped high to avoid her barbed Vine Whip. Again, despite all he wanted to, he couldn't recognize the creature…

The gentle eyes he had known had become cold black. The once beautiful, lively green appearance of her leaves had withered to only remind him of death and poison. The aroma he remembered was replaced by the spines that came from her leaves and vines.

…

_(Wow master! You're so strong now!) She sang as the goliath stone suddenly split into four pieces and tumbled to the ground behind him. _

_Ash smiled and reabsorbed the Lightning Blade. "We've all changed. Bolt can probably power an entire block for a full week by now, Fyron can breathe flame that's at least one thousand degrees, and I'm sure you've probably grown too."_

_Bayleef nodded happily as she let loose one of her vines from her neck. Ash watched closely as the head of the vine touched the ground…_

_A large, velvet red rose shot up from the ground, magnificently flaring its leaves as it continued to grow until it was almost two feet tall. Its stem grew thick and strong, its thorns were like needles. Ash kneeled down as Bayleef retracted her vine, awaiting his thoughts on what she had done. _

_Would he be impressed?_

_Ash got back to his feet as the rose below him shined with a pinkish aura. The first expression of his that met her eager eyes was a proud smile._

"…_Amazing, to say the least."_

…

A bright white from Light's overlapping paws exploded against Bayleef's neck, causing her to stumble back with a pained roar…

(AH!) Light cried out as a root ripped up from the ground as slammed into her side, ripping several small cuts into her skin form the tiny spikes on the root.

Shadow felt his paw get scratched up by the root as he flipped off it with the one paw after narrowly dodging another Razor Leaf when the Bayleef-mutant recovered.

Shadow growled as more barbed Razor Leaves swept past him. "ASH! Forget about her, we have to stop the Zapmolcuno!"

"…fine."

Ash jumped back to avoid another powerful Vine Whip that tore open a wide cut into the soil…

Shadow sighed. Was that a tear in Ash's eye?

He brought his Lightning Blade to his hip, concentrating solely on the mutant.

She swung her head around again, producing the same, unnatural screech as dark leaves shot from the two large one on her head…

Bolt lifted an arm to his eyes as dirt exploded upward in front of him, followed by the powerful sound of thunder. The mutant cried out before Shadow felt a wave of static blast across his body.

Electricity ran across the ruined ground like currents through copper wire.

Ash stood at the edge of the pit in the ground, looking down into it. Sparks and trails of static were running up from the hole, while distorted cries emanated out.

The mutated Bayleef lay on her left side, twitching erratically on the cold metal floor of the lab. Electricity travelled in waves across her body, with a noticeably blackened streak of skin on her chest.

Bloody tears ran down her face…

…

_Bolt chuckled at Ash's feet. (Again?)_

_Ash coughed from the sudden pressure on his chest. Though disoriented, he could see the shining face of his Bayleef smiling down at him. _

_He returned a weak one. "…Ow…Bayleef, why do you always have to tackle me? You're not as small as you were five years ago."_

_(It's just a habit. Besides, what else could I do? I can't stand on two legs and hug you!) She chimed with a silly tone. _

"_Augh…I know…I appreciate your thoughts, though." He said as she backed up to allow him to rise. Dusting himself off, he patted the top of her light yellow head. She hummed softly at the feeling of his warm touch. _

_(So what brings you out here exactly?) _

_(You should know, after all you fought in about six gym battles before he sent you here.) Bolt said to her as Ash drew out a Pokéball marked with a green leaf sticker from his belt and held it to eye level with her. _

_(And you're back…so that means you have ALL the badges…)_

_The response was immediate; the spicy scent from her leaf became stronger as she cooed happily. (So that means that you want me to go to the league with you guys?)_

"_It wasn't hard to choose, after all. You gave your heart out during all those gym battles, and I think you deserve a chance like everyone else that's going."_

_(…Then I won't let you or anyone on the team down. No matter the challenge, I'll be strong for you, master!) She sang confidently. _

"_We'll all be strong." Ash said as a red beam shot from the ball he held, decoding her into red data that zapped back into the sphere. With a bound, Bolt caught onto Ash's left shoulder and swung around to grab onto the back of his head. With a click, the Pokéball snapped back onto its latch on Ash's belt. _

_Bolt smirked. (In all the years I've known you I can say now that you are definitely going to be a master, and soon. I know you're going to win the championship this time!)_

_The sunlight reflected off Ash's brown eyes like a mirror as he reached up and scratched Bolt behind the ears. "You and all the others like Lotus here have taught me a lot throughout my time as a trainer, Bolt. It's only because of all of you that I've come this far…the championship belongs to all of us."_

"_We've faced dangers no other trainer and Pokémon has ever faced. We were all able to do it because we were united. We all share a bond that can't be destroyed…you, me, Lotus…we're always going to have each other to help us in our darkest hours. No matter what, we'll always save one another." _

…

"…Just hold on, Lotus…I'll fix you somehow." Ash whispered as the mutant's body stopped twitching. Her chest was rising and falling slowly, with soft, twisted sobs being heard from her mouth.

Shadow and Light stared down into the hole, demonstrating different expressions. Shadow seemed more solemn, his dull eyes showing a sorrow for her within, but outwardly he seemed almost unmoved. Light, on the other hand, carried a frown and a softer gaze at the Bayleef, as if she were thinking of some way to try and help.

"…C'mon. We have to stop Zapmolcuno!" Ash yelled before turning and jumping up onto the adjacent house's rooftop, followed closely by Bolt.

Sighing, Shadow turned around to follow them, walking a few steps before stopping and looking back towards his dear friend, staring down sadly into the hole.

_This really would affect someone as sensitive as her. _

He stared into the ground, his silence allowing the sounds of the distant battle to overtake him. Shaking his head, he walked to his friend's side with a troubling feeling that seemed to have come from his friend next to him.

(…Do you think you could maybe do something for her, Light?)

(…I don't know, Shadow…I would've helped by now if I knew I could, but…)

(…Just look at her.)

That alone was proof that she was just too far lost.

The black coloration of her leaves, the spines that ringed those leaves, and the poisonous look of her body in general…

The best he could think of it was likely a rose having been turned into nightshade.

"Shadow, Light! Are you coming or not?" Ash yelled from the nearby rooftop.

...There had to be some way.

(…We'll fix her somehow. I know it...you were able to help bail me out of Team Rocket. Together we escaped from them. Hell, Light, we beat Marxus! If you were able to do all that, I'm sure that you could be able to save her.)

Light looked from him to the Bayleef below…

Well, she had been able to get him out of Team Rocket…

They had beaten the odds and escaped their evil clutches. Together they had found sanctuary in the forest, and together they had beaten Marxus…

Together.

(…Okay.) She replied optimistically as Shadow dashed toward the small house Ash and Bolt were on top of, followed closely by Light. Nodding, Ash turned and leapt far onto the next rooftop, looking far ahead for the Zapmolcuno. Both Pikachu and Light followed closely, all with a dreary feeling among them now…

…And when they had gone two blocks away, Shadow heard another sad, agonized roar trailing off behind them…

…

(Flyer!)

Misty looked up to the black helicopter that was flying in from the tree line, noting that its minigun was beginning to spin up. "Sollus, Novus! Follow me!"

The Umbreon and an Espeon dashed out from behind a chunk of concrete from the side of a building and gave chase after Misty. Heat waves constantly beat down on Sollus's tail, along with chunks of gravel as the rapid streams of lasers tore up the ground just a few feet behind them.

The Espeon looked over his shoulder as a roar went out from the helicopter's right side when a one of its many missiles blasted out from its launcher and corkscrewed like a massive bullet at them.

"Novus, you know what to do!"

He forked sharply away from Sollus, his deep blue eyes catching sight of the missile and staying on it…

A bright magenta aura surrounded the missile just as it was going to hit the ground behind Sollus, veering upward at a sharp angle and nosing over to speed back towards the helicopter.

Shrapnel flew past Misty with the boom of the missile exploding in the cockpit. The scent of burning fuel and metal wafted through the air as small orange sparks drifted from the apartment building that was burning to their right.

All of them flinched as the sound of a massive explosion boomed through their ears, followed by the whistle of debris coming down on them from afar. Small bits of smoking rock scattered all around, coming down like an earthly hail.

Then a powerful screech.

Misty fell to her knees, clapping her hand over her ears while keeping only one eye wide open, teeth grinding against each other. Another deafening explosion rang through the air. Waves of heat pressed down on them.

(What is this?) Novus yelled as more small rocks pelted them from above. Suddenly, Misty's radio began to buzz loudly at her ear before descending into static.

…

"God…damn!" Archer whispered, the lines in his forehead creasing as much as the buildings that were being obliterated in the path of the bird monster.

The Moltres head unleashed massive, yellow shots of flame from its gaping beak that literally lifted half of a department store off its midsection from the force of the explosion, letting its top smash into the road below and brutally crushing a number of unfortunate individuals who had been running for their lives.

The Articuno head screeched angrily as white-hot flame jetted across its icy blue neck from the mouth of a particularly large Charizard; the lone challenger who had dared to show itself to them.

"That's probably Ash's…ol' dragon's powerful, but I'm sure that he'll need some help if he wants to kill somethin' like THAT…and help's on the way."

Massive blasts of lightning shot down from the billowing black clouds overhead and into the Zapdos head's beak, illuminating it like a massive cone-shaped lamp before surging out of its beak in a beam.

The dragon barrel rolled out of the way and roared, blasting the Zapdos head with its mighty flames…

The Moltres head pecked the air above its head, catching a hold of an orange-tipped, black bullet by its edge.

_What the fuck? _

"Grr…" Archer growled as he leveled his scope over the monster's midsection, but then he was forced to readjust as the fused birds suddenly took off into the sky, leaving the Charizard behind in on the burning road…

…and leveled off to speed in towards the office building he was on top of.

"Dammit!" He snarled, rapidly pumping the trigger of his rifle. Indeed, he could hear the birds screaming madly as the bullets exploded onto the Thunder Shield that the Zapdos side had conjured up in front of the charging bird. Shards of the bullets that had been able to penetrate the electric shield did actually rip fiendish wounds into their combined abdomen, causing a faint red mist to hang behind them along with the yellow, orange and light blue of their elements.

Archer reached into his pack and quickly scrounged through it. His fingers wrapped around a coiled, cold rope…

"Move, Archer, move!" He yelled at himself, jumping away from the pack as a bright, blue beam instantly encased the bag and the surrounding concrete in ice. Ignoring an ache in his left leg, he leapt over the air vents that ran over the top of the roof slid to a stop at the railing on the other side of where he had been. Chattering to himself through his bushy mustache, he slipped the metal rope's D-ring around the rail and attached it back onto the rope, clipping another D-ring onto the other end of the rope. He slipped two digits through that ring and made sure he had a tight hold on the rope...

A rumble went through the building with a sound like a bass drum beating. The air had mingled into waves of freezing cold and extreme heat. His earpiece had broken into static…

"…"

The old man's head, along with his body, turned around with his rifle in one hand and the rope in the other to see the chimera of birds standing on the opposite side of the building, each of the legendary bird's heads glaring at him with their individual, lit eyes.

Archer stood completely still, his face showing no fear; in his head, he was counting the seconds that went by with him staring back unwaveringly. His left leg brushed against the railing as his strong, wrinkled hand gripped tightly onto the rope…

_C'mon, jump old man!_

"…SAIYONARA!" Archer suddenly yelled out as he jumped over the edge of the building, followed closely by a combined blast of bright yellow flame, blue electricity and freezing ice.

At that moment he was reminded of why he didn't like doing this; not only because of the fact that his age wasn't helping much, but also because of the fact that if the rope above caught on something and snapped, he would be plunged into quite a humiliating death.

He swung forward, slamming his metal toe boots onto the hard brick. Twinges of pain ran up his legs as he pushed off, grunting heavily as he rappelled down at least ten stories lower before smacking his feet onto the wall again. Blood vessels poked up from his arms, grasping onto the rope for dear life.

"Let's go, dammit!" He ordered himself as he pushed off again, falling another five stories before feeling the rope jerk and swing him forward once more. Thinking quickly, he raised his feet up to the window he was about to slam into, identifying three figures within…

"Hey, shouldn't we be out there dealing with those Kanto Army guys?"

"Fuck that, I'm not going out there while that Moltres…Articuno…Zapdos…whatever, is out there."

"Eh…agree-!" The Rocket grunt by the window said, cut off by the shards of glass spraying around him as Archer's heavy boots cracked his skull on impact. The other two yelled and fell back in surprised as the sniper rolled to recover, tearing his leather pistol holster as he yanked the gun out.

His trigger finger, one again, did not fail him. Four quick squeezes on the trigger blasted pieces of muscle tissue out of the grunt to his left, and the fifth blasted apart his pale face.

"Aagh!"

Cold metal punched through Archer's left arm. The other Rocket grunt, disoriented, had stabbed Archer. With another cry, the Rocket ripped the knife from Archer's arm and lunged for his heart.

"You're mine old man!"

"Fuck off, kid!" Archer yelled hoarsely, ramming his left shoulder into the grunt's right elbow just as it swung. Growling with adrenaline, Archer angrily seized his arm and twisted it around his own back, grinning as he heard the bone snap violently. As the Rocket screamed, the bloody knife clattered on the carpet.

Blood ran down Archer's left arm, dying the sleeve of his ghillie suit red. Archer kicked back into the back of the Rocket's knee, adding more to the excruciating pain he was feeling from his fractured arm. Spinning quickly to face him, Archer brutally smashed his pistol into the Rocket's face twice, cutting a wide scar into the side of his skull before kicking him onto his back.

"I'll teach ya to mess with a sniper's arm, ya little bitch!"

Archer grabbed the knife from the ground and stabbed the Rocket in the stomach, then he slashed open his rib cage. Archer then proceeded to start beating in the man's skull…

When Archer was this angry, nothing could've stopped him.

Sparks of light exited out of the side of Archer's pistol as he fired off four blasts into the body.

Breathing heavily, Archer dropped onto the floor, ripping open his ghillie suit arm to reveal the bloody wound beneath. Muttering to himself, he reached for his pack using his good arm.

"Ergh…how the hell am I gonna aim now…this is bullshit…"

He looked around himself; the building seemed empty. The only sounds were his periodic wincing as he wrapped large gauze around his arm, keeping it there with medical tape.

Sure, he couldn't exactly steady his gun now…

…_Stop poutin'!_

"What the fuck are you thinkin'…" He said to himself, "I can still be sniping! Just because my lower arm is useless doesn't mean I can't snipe…I still have my other fuckin' hand!"

…

The scent of smoke and blood was choking. One could barely see through the heavy gray and black that blew through the air.

Away from the massive flames, it felt very, very cold. Random sparks ran across the broken metal beams and foundations of buildings that had collapsed.

Shadow stopped on the blackened, cracked top of a burning hotel. (…Damn. Look at all this…)

(We have to remember, it's legends we're dealing with Shadow, and from what I can see…they're definitely angry about all this.) Light whispered softly.

"…There it is! On that skyscraper!" Ash called out, raising his finger towards the birds, circling over the abandoned tower they had been at earlier. Each head screeched angrily, blasting random, devastating blasts of their energy towards the earth below them.

A wave of dust blasted past, fanning the massive inferno below and around them even more. Sweat beaded below Shadow's fur as he closed his eyes and breathed out.

_Focus…Namba's unleashed close to hell on everyone here. If we don't stop it then this entire city's going to end up like this area. _

Ash grunted, hastily putting his finger to his mouth and whistling loudly.

A mighty dragon's roar responded.

The Charizard rose out from the adjacent street, his massive frame easily visible among the stacks of smoke that were brushed aside by his powerful wing beats. Winds pressed down on them as he braked in the air and hovered over the crooked rooftop.

"Fyron, I need you to get all four of us to where the birds are, and fast! We have to stop them."

Powerful, blue eyes examined Shadow and Light as Ash climbed up the Charizard. As Botl jumped up to his back, Fyron motioned his great skull.

Nodding somewhat nervously, Shadow walked to the dragon's side and jumped up, landing right onto his orange back. While Light climbed up, Shadow felt the warmth coming off of Fyron's body; hot to the touch, but cool enough to where he could still sit comfortably.

Bolt turned his head towards the two sitting behind him, keeping one paw on Ash's head. (You two better hold on to his back spikes. When he's trying to get somewhere as fast as he can, it can make for a pretty bumpy ride.)

Fyron roared once more as he ascended, prompting Shadow to grab onto the spike in front of him. Since there was no spike behind Shadow, Light grabbed onto his shoulders.

(Hold on!)

The broken, war-ridden city rushed beneath them; lasers and Pokémon attacks went by like a light show below. Puffs of black smoke rose like fog, punctuated by surges of flame and the sound of gunfire. The massive, domed Pokémon Center in front of the intersection of the main road with the city center rained lasers from its barricaded windows. Shadow felt Light's paws push down gently on his shoulders as Fyron twisted left to avoid a missile from below.

Shadow fixed his eyes on the Zapmolcuno as Fyron passed by it when it came circling round the building. Small patches of blood ran down the cream-colored chest of the Moltres. As it came around, the Zapdos head glared up at them with its glowing yellow eyes and screeched, inciting Fyron to roar back a challenge.

Light looked back past Fyron's flaming tail to see the Zapmolcuno wheeling around in pursuit. (It's following us!)

"Fyron, into that park! We'll fight it from there!" Ash commanded.

Wind flailed Shadow's yellow ears as they descended, and after a few seconds they came right above the tree line of a small, open park with blast holes everywhere. Parts of swing-sets tangled up to the right, while the remains of a large sandbox was occupied by a fallen tree.

Ash leapt off the dragon and spawned electricity on his right hand. Immediately, Bolt jumped off his shoulder and got on all fours as Shadow and Light jumped off Fyron. As soon as he felt them get off, Fyron flapped his great wings and got altitude over them as the Zapmolcuno dived in towards them.

(…Are you with me, Light?) Shadow said, an assuring smirk on his face. Smiling, she got on all fours as static crawled out from her cheeks. (As long as you are, Shadow.)

Bolt looked back towards them as the Moltres head opened its long beak and began to charge fire into it. (Here it comes!)

…

"Sollus, look out!"

The exhausted Umbreon used Double Team once more to evade black electricity that flew from him. But even as soon as the dark energy had raged past her, the dark Pokémon had somehow dropped back into the ground, visible only as a shadow racing towards her.

At this point, Novus had given up on actually trying to get the creature still; for some reason, the dark aura around him was preventing the Espeon from telepathically grabbing him…

The 'Chu exploded out in a hail of dark energy from under him, blasting Novus into the air. Spinning in the air off of Novus's body, he launched dark energy from his paws at both Misty and Sollus.

Misty grunted as she backflipped over the black missile and caught Novus as he came down with one hand while throwing one of her ice shuriken in an arc towards the 'chu. The Umbreon dashed right at the spear coming at here and caught it in her mouth, roaring s she returned it back at him.

He caught the spinning shuriken perfectly by its edge and spun it around his paw, perfectly deflecting the attack that Sollus had launched back at him. In Misty's hands, Novus shook out his head. (Urgh…that hurt…)

"And why shouldn't it? I've got a bit of a problem with you and her, after all."

Misty grimaced; was what she seeing true?

No…it couldn't be…

He flexed his paw and threw the ice shuriken back at her. Grunting, Misty caught it with her free hand and let Novus down gently, all while keeping an eye on him.

"…Xepher said that you were dead."

...

...

And so, a great battle is upon us...

Can they defeat the combined form of Zapdos, Moltres, and Articuno?

Tell me your thoughts thus far!


	10. Chpt IX: Falling

Chapter IX: Falling

October 1, 2061 8:22 a.m.

_What am I now? _

_It has to be a dream. Just a long, twisted nightmare. _

_I…I'm not really lying here, right? I'm not bleeding! _

_My leaves haven't gone black! There's no spines on them!_

_There's nothing wrong with me! _

_THIS CAN'T BE REAL!_

…

…_is it? _

_Pain like this can't be fake. But…but he ATTACKED me, he'd never do that! _

…_and I…_

_No, I couldn't have…what is wrong with me? _

_I ATTACKED HIM! _

_And what I did there, above me…I attacked Bolt too, and their friends. I actually followed that madman's order and attacked._

_Have I really lost it? _

_Oh…oh no…_

_THIS CAN'T HAPPEN TO ME!_

_Why?_

_Why did I have to be so weak then? Why did I just let them capture me?_

_Fear of death? Did I honestly think they would've been good to me? They may have let me live, but now…_

… _I know how wrong I was…_

…_with what I am now…_

_*sob*…I might as well be dead…_

…

AAAIIIIIEEEE!

Sparks danced against Shadow's cheeks. Random spikes of cold and heat were burning and freezing the ground beneath the flying bird…

"_Help…_

"…_Please…"_

"…_We can't stop it..."_

All four of them jumped in separate directions as a massive beam of fire incinerated the ground they had stood on.

Rebounding off a tree's bark, Ash rushed across the ground in front of Zapmolcuno…

"Hrrraaaa!"

Light ran past the hail of flame Ash had launched at the Articuno side, tail glowing behind her as she went straight for the Moltres side…

Zapmolcuno spun back in the air, throwing Fyron off balance in the sky. Roaring, he rolled back and opened up his wings to glide, fast and smoothly, on the gales.

The sheer force of wind coming off Zapmolcuno's massive wings caused the blasts of flame that Ash had launched from his hands explode like flak.

Light ripped up the ground as she turned tail as ran with the winds, feeling her limbs almost forced to go faster by the raw power.

Articuno's bright blue eyes flashed dangerously. In front of it the air frosted over into misty, razor sheets of ice.

Whipping its head around, the Zapdos head screeched into the air, creating a massive, blinding blue flash in the gathering clouds. Again, thunder boomed as the entire cloud suddenly lit up, filling the air around them with static...

Bolt sprinted as fast as he possibly could, teeth gritted as he felt the heat of a massive strike of lightning bear down on him from behind. Behind, the blue lightning punctured the ground and ripped both earth and trees out with its unspeakably strong explosion.

(Woah!)

(Light, move!)

Shadow slid out on a hind leg as a burning tree trunk flew overhead, then he and Light both jumped high as waves of rock surged below…

Meanwhile, a fierce firefight was raging on the street adjacent to the park. Gasping for air, a stunned Rocket stumbled back with his hands covering four individual, smoking holes in his chest that exposed the shattered bottom bone of his ribcage, the middle of his stomach, his charred liver, and his right pectoral.

Moments later, a dark-skinned Rocket ducked as another burst of lasers zoomed over and bore into the other shocked man's face.

Shooting from behind a dusty, concrete roadblock, another Rocket grunt gritted his teeth as blasts of red streamed out from his heavy machine gun.

Then red was streaming down his face.

"Got another one…" Sentinel whispered to himself as he ripped out the empty cartridge he had from behind a small pillar holding up the once extravagant front roofing of a theater. Inside, he could hear the shouts of both armed civilians and Kanto soldiers yelling battle cries filled with both valor and the need for vengeance against the captors of this magnificent city.

More lasers zoomed by, from behind and in front of him. He was the only one of his group who had scooted up this far; Jenny and the rest of the group had taken to hiding in the torn-up houses that lined the street past the theater. Meanwhile, the Rockets on the other side of the intersection had created a barricade of vehicles for them to take cover behind.

"Eat laser! Go to hell where you belong!" A man with sunken-looking eyes said fiercely before his left shoulder was split open by a single laser.

The former policewoman looked over to him as he dropped back into a bush, dead. Shaking her head, she fired off a few rounds from the M1911 Sentinel had given her before its slide locked back with a click.

"I really appreciate the power of this little thing, but reloading after ten shots sure is annoying…" Jenny mumbled as she slid down behind a green house's fence, letting an empty extended clip drop from the 1911 before roughly jamming a new one in.

Sentinel crouched down as lasers continued to zoom by from both sides. Cursing under his breath as a laser hit some grass by the sidewalk, he hurriedly put numbers into his radio.

"Tango Sierra Charlie, this is KAM-TS Spec Ops Unit 7-2, requesting air support!"

The radio buzzed back with sounds of distant gunfire in the background of the man's voice. "7-2, our air support is running on a tight schedule right now, can you hold out?"

The clouds seemed to burst into a blinding blue flame above.

"Ah!" Sentinel gasped, quickly covering his ears from the powerful vibrato of thunder. Squinting his eyes, he saw other Rockets yelling in panic upon being thrown to the ground by an unknown force as a single, unbelievably massive beam of bluish-yellow shot from the sky and into the park…

_What the…_

"7-2, are you still there?" The radio buzzed.

He could actually see waves of static blast out from the distant tree line ahead of a wall of dust, chunks of gravel and even trees.

Sentinel took a single step back, then another and another until he was fully turned and running with a desperate look on his face from the hail of earth. A dead civilian's body flew past to his left, with half his arm nothing more than a blood-spewing stump. Blood ran from his mouth, with blank, wide eyes rolled up as if to look up at the hole in his skull.

…_Fuck!_

Sentinel was yelling into his radio as more and more debris crashed into the ground around him. "I'm still here and I need air support NOW, DAMMIT!"

"…" Jenny stood with her mouth agape along with the other men and women, both from the army and the citizens, who were also staring at the wall of destruction that was rushing towards them…

"…What the hell are we waiting for? RUN!" She screamed as the others around her all yelled out at once, horror written on their faces as concrete shards and wood shot out behind them…

Shadow's paws burned on the rough pavement he slid onto, while flaming projectiles smashed through both glass and concrete in the structures around. A car's alarm went off loudly as a tree speared into its cabin.

Light's paw swung out, full of white energy. With a flash of her eyes she grabbed her paw with the other as light energy surged out into the smoke in bursts, flailing both 'Chus' ears and tails back.

Ash jumped high up, barely tapping his feet onto a flying chunk of rock before bouncing off. Putting his fingers to his mouth, he whistled powerfully. "Fyron!"

The Charizard dived underneath waves of stone and beat his massive wings to take him high, catching Ash on his back. Grasping the dragon's back, Ash put his hand to his brow and looked down for a sign of the three 'Chus below.

The smoke cleared around the lone electric dome in the center of the blackened ground. Within, Bolt stood with his arms lowering from the dome, making it disappear from around him. Dust began to settle onto the grass that had remained within the dome, darkening it within a matter of seconds.

Looking up, Bolt braced his hind legs back with a grunt as both the Zapdos and Articuno heads reared back with their respective elemental energies swirling powerfully in front of their beaks.

The Articuno swung its head and the ball down at Bolt, screeching with its mouth wide. The icy ball in front of its mouth contracted into itself before expanding rapidly.

Three charges of white energy ripped though the dust, colliding with their combined chests. The resulting explosions caused the birds to lose balance in the air, such as with the Moltres crying out and forcing the Zapdos side to move its wing over to cover their chest.

The move made then drift fast to the right, allowing the Articuno side to see Ash and Fyron shooting in from above like a flaming bullet.

(Now?)

Ash lifted himself up, carefully standing straight up on Fyron's back. Watching the birds, he extended electricity from his hand as the Articuno redirected its Ice Beam at them. "Now!"

Fyron rose high into the air as the crystallized energy raced underneath, steadily climbing with them. With a roar, Fyron quickly rolled to throw Ash right off his back.

Ash glanced to his Charizard and nodded, twisting round in the air by extending an arm like a wing. Looking over to the birds, he gasped as he saw fireballs exploding out from the Moltres's beak.

_That'll make this a little harder to do…_

…_It'll make it more effective, too!_

Blue aura flared up on his legs just as they hit the Ice Beam. Frost instantly ran up his heavy boots as he lunged forward at least fifty yards, deflecting one of Moltres's fireballs away from himself and towards the ground.

The Moltres's eyes narrowed, screeching as it forced the entire body to turn sharply in and rocket towards Ash. Lightning roared overhead as the Zapdos head let out a scream.

_Speed up!_

Ash narrowly escaped the Moltres's next barrage of fireballs just as he zoomed in-between its head and the Articuno's, stabbing down into their conjoined back. Electricity sprang up from the point of contact as Ash plunged it as hard as he could into and across their back. From Fyron's view, the bird's eyes seemed to flare up an eerie flash of black, twitching violently…

AAAAAAAIIIIIIIIEEEEEE!

Ash clenched his teeth, eyes widening in pain and surprise as thick black aura exploded from within the bloody cut he sliced on the chimera's back. Heavy grunts escaped his mouth as he was thrown off on the wave of dark energy that felt like it kept pummeling him while he soared through the air.

The bird screamed once more as rays of dark energy began to shoot out from its body. Random flashes of ice, flame and thunder shot from them, then black variations of those. Many of their feathers began to get ripped off by the energy that exploded from within them…

The final, combined screech they made was haunting.

It was as bloody-curdling as it was horrific. Blood could be seen briefly flying off Zapmolcuno before its entire body became consumed by dark energy. Flashing, the energy expanded outward with a deafening roar.

Ash began to descend head-first, able to see the massive energy that began to come at him once more. Fighting the pain, he focused and let out his aura all around himself…

Fyron dived low at high speed as the massive, purplish-black sphere of dark energy expanded with violent chorus. Below, he could see Bolt running away as cracks ran across the ground behind him before ripping out jagged chunks of soil. Roaring, Fyron dived down to where he was flying right next to where Bolt ran.

(Get on!)

(Aw, damn it.) Shadow growled as he prepared to run once more. As soon as he turned, however, Light put a paw out in front of him. White aura licked up the sides of her body like a heavenly flame. Her warm, hazel eyes flashed like stars, assuring Shadow with apparent fearlessness.

(Don't worry; I can handle this. Stay behind me, Shadow!)

The white blasted out from her paws, held in place by more energy that was flowing from her outstretched arms. The tuft of fur that crested the top of her chest flared in lead with the rest of her hair as the dome completely surrounded herself and Shadow.

From within only the silhouettes of the buildings to the sides and the debris flying every which way could be seen. The side of the barrier they Shadow was facing had been thrown into a silvery, dark gray color.

The ground quaked underneath them; the silhouettes of the buildings that were next to them vanished under the hail of debris, flame and dust. All through the calamity, he could see Light staring straight forward, her jaw tightened fiercely as white continuously blasted out from her paws and into the shield that protected them.

…_I'm lucky to know her._

…Except for the sounds of Light breathing heavily, there was silence.

(*huff**huff*…)

Light lowered her paws from the dome as it disappeared, allowing them to be met with the visage of destruction all around them. Crimson red-coated feathers of yellow, cream and light blue drifted down from the air while black static ran erratically across the dust on the ground.

…

"*cough**cough*…Augh, what the fuck was that?"

A light toned hand roughly pushed a slab of concrete off its ghillie suited body. Letting out a pained grunt, Sentinel rolled his right shoulder, hearing a small crack in the joint as it got back into place. Muttering to himself, he carefully lifted himself up, using his sniper rifle as support.

"…Holy shit…" He whispered in disbelief of the carnage around him. Looking down to a spike of pain in his leg, he whispered various obscenities to himself at the sight of a long, wide cut down his leg...

Buildings that were once on the sides of the street near them were decimated, save for the crumbled foundations. Odd, black flames rose from some pieces of debris near the 'Chus.

(…)

Shadow looked back in awe at the extent of the damage; what caught his eye next was small movement among the rubble on the other side of the street.

(…Sentinel!) Shadow said apprehensively as he saw the sniper climb out from the dust and concrete on only one leg, the other bleeding profusely. As he limped up out of the concrete, another figure of about equal height ran over from the side of the street, limping but relatively unharmed.

(Okay, Ash made it out of that…) Shadow whispered to himself as Ash wrapped Sentinel's arm over his shoulder for support. From afar, the silhouette of a dragon started to come into view until it was clearly visible that it was Fyron with various scratches apparent on his body, with Bolt holding onto the twin spikes on his head…

"Fyron, to me!" Ash said calmly as his Charizard descended to their level. Landing next to him, Fyron listened for further instruction as Bolt leapt off his back. "Are you two okay?"

(I've been better…but I'm fine.) Fyron grunted as he took a lick at a scarlet gash torn across his right wing. The Pikachu nodded to Ash. (I'm good. Where's Shadow and Light?)

"Here they come now."

Shadow jumped over a beam of concrete, stopping near Sentinel with Light tailing behind him. "Sentinel, are you alright?"

The sniper exhaled, wiping dust off his sweaty face. "…As long as I can shoot, I'm still good…I can't really walk though. Just take a look at my leg."

"You can't shoot like this, sentinel. I'm pretty sure you need steady legs to stand on, right?" Ash said, suddenly tensing up and looking toward the park.

"Yeah…I do…"

AAIIIEEE!

Shadow spun around to face in the direction of the ruined park. Within the tangled mess of burning trees and mass flames, a massive orb of static black erupted from the ground…

The blackness receded slowly in small lines, releasing dark smoke as the chimera within gazed directly at Shadow and Light with their six Ethereal-like eyes.

The colors of the fused birds were faded into black at the tips of the wings. All three heads now shared the same bleak color of black, along with reflective, black eyes with red rings in them at emanated out from the centers. The feathers themselves on all of them had become a monochrome gray

"…I'm not gonna complain about fighting normal Pokémon…" Sentinel said as Ash led him towards his Charizard, "…but I didn't sign up to fight these…'Etehreals', or whatever you call them."

"Fyron, I need you to get Sentinel out of here. Understand?" He said, lifting Sentinel up onto the dragon's back. The Charizard let out a puff of smoke from its nostrils in disappointment.

(I understand, but I hate to have to leave you here with that.) Fyron replied, looking worriedly at the abomination nearby.

_Confusion. _

_This power…_

_So cruel, so evil, so tainted…_

…_so great, so rejuvenating, so strong…_

_Yes…_

_Yes…!_

The grayed Zapdos head snapped its beak several times at the group below them, popping bursts of static in front of its beak. Blood-colored flame rose from the black-headed Moltres; The Articuno head simply rest its red-ringed black eyes over them.

Sentinel looked up to the Zapmolcuno as Fyron began to hover above the ground, ready to take off. Quickly, he reached for his radio. "…Jenny, you there?"

The transmitter buzzed randomly for a few seconds before the officer's voice came through the static.

"Sentinel, I thought we had lost you in that explosion…where are you?"

Sentinel looked over his shoulder towards the Zapmolcuno as Fyron began to fly away. "I'm fine…listen, can you see the monster bird overhead? I want you and everyone else to get the fuck out of here. I'm being led out right now and I don't want to have the team get killed while I end up safe and sound. Got it?"

"…We can't just leave, Sentinel. Everyone else still needs help."

"I know. Just stay away from the park area…I can tell something big is about o go down there."

…

The chimera screeched again and gave one, powerful thrust of its wings that showered off-waves of darkness at them. With seconds to spare, Shadow tensed up his hind legs and thrust himself forward.

Concrete split and exploded behind him, crackling with dark energy. On the far right Ash had jumped to a large slab of concrete that jutted out of the remains of an apartment building, then leapt forward onto another stable piece of cement as Bolt ran behind, jumping onto his shoulder.

Blue aura concentrated into his feet as he landed onto another pile of rubble, making a loud, warping sound before he rocketed high into the air toward the dark birds. Below, Light dashed fast towards where the chimera was above.

The light in her eyes was blinding.

Cackling madly, the Zapdos head opened its mouth. As the whole bird dived, the electricity from its beak struck all across the air in front of them, snapping to in fro as errant strikes blasted into the ground and shredded more debris in roaring explosions.

"Here!" Ash yelled to his friend as a larger blast of lightning descended on them. Grunting, Bolt let Ash take him by arm and throw him far upward past lightning that struck into Ash's raised palms.

"Aahk!" Ash roared as his face scrunched over his clenched teeth, feeling the power of thousands of volts crashing into his hands. Wrenching one hand free from the lightning, he threw it back towards the ground and immersed himself in a sphere of his aura.

Light's aura continued to grow around her, practically turning her fur white. As she came into the intersection of the road they were on, she noticed Shadow running right beside her, silent. Letting go of a serious look for a moment, Shadow smiled lightly and nodded, which she returned with understanding as his dark aura flashed around him.

(Together?)

(Together.)

White lightning concentrated into a beam at Bolt's paw as he flew up at the birds. Narrowing his eyes, he brought up the White Lightning Blade in front of himself.

For the first time since its transformation, the Articuno head screamed out. Thrusting its wing, black Ice Shards shot forward from the frozen air like arrowheads.

Bolt spun the beam in his paw to deflect the hail of needle-like ice. Random shards slashed into his coat; grunting, he felt one slice across his forehead. Moments later, he was within ten yards of the birds…

The Moltres snapped its head forward, brutally smacking its head into Bolt's Lightning Blade. As electricity exploded around its head, the left side of its beak smashed into Bolt's gut.

For a moment, the Pikachu's eyes went blank with shock. If he was human, it would likely have been comparable to getting hit by a large truck going at 90 MPH.

Luckily for him, he had dealt his damage. As his breathless form was thrown back to the Earth, electricity surged into the very bone of the chimera. Twitching erratically, the Moltres head went into a screaming spasm along with the other two heads as their electrocuted body fell out of the sky.

A ball of silver, black and white sliced through the dust, concrete and burning wood on the ground, throwing up orange sparks around it. The sound of its own energy zapping into itself radiated all around. Within, Shadow and Light ran side-by-side.

"_Ready?" _

_Ready when you are. _

The sky above went into a shade a gray for a moment, rippling from the bright, silver beam that blasted up from the ground. It sounded like a cannon blasting in the distance from where Ash was recovering from the lightning. To him, it seemed to move slowly from the ground at first, catching the attention of the dark bird…

But when it had turned its head to look towards the oncoming attack, the head of the attack sent wide cracks of energy like horizontal lightning through the sky before instantly crashing into them.

Jet black feathers ripped out of the bird's flesh beneath Shadow's paws. His shoulder was jammed into it, running black and blue electricity off his body.

White electricity flashed around Light's body, combining with Shadow's. Her back's fur rubbed against his, mingling their energies together and into the possessed enemy.

And then, she felt the bird begin to fall in the wake of blood that splattered onto her face from above. The stench made her nostrils flare; inside, she wanted to stop this. But even with the horrified, agonized sounds of it screeching above them, she kept pouring her energy into it.

Suddenly, her face was pressed into the black plumage.

Ash raised his arm, grunting as he felt waves of white and black energy batter him and his surroundings. Shards of rock smacked into him, dust nearly blinding his eyes. Gasping, his eyes contracted at the sight of a weakened Bolt putting his paws out to protect himself from the shrapnel. Beneath his dusty fur, a massive spot of purple stood out against the light skin. He seemed to have had difficulty breathing.

Ash ran to his friend, sliding into a kneeling position by him and extending his hand in front of them with a shield of his aura. Silver ran up the glassy barrier like ocean waves, interrupted somewhat by pricks of debris that ricocheted off of it.

…

"What…in fuckin' hell?" Archer growled to himself from behind what remained of a bombed-out skyscraper's wall as energy waves blasted across the ground. While his wounded arm was hugged close to his side, the other, still holding his pistol, helped him lean up against the chipped and burned concrete.

It was like going through an earthquake; except, of course, for the feeling like he was going to get thrown into the air.

"AAAAAAH!"

One unfortunate Kanto Army soldier flew past him, screaming like a banshee before his head brutally smacked into the ground. Eyes rolling up, the soldier's body continued through the air like a ragdoll as blood poured from his ears.

A car's alarm went off somewhere nearby, muffling the horrified cries of humans and Pokémon as the world seemed to tear itself apart all around them.

"This is bullshit…I can't properly aim a rifle. I'd be fine with that, then comes the fact that I barely escaped that building before it went crashin' down…Fuckin' miracle…"

He bit his lip as a Sandshrew's bloodied body went flying past with a large pipe stuck through its torso. "…But this? Damn, I really might have to think about retiring if I get fucked up by this!"

After about a minute, the trembling around him stopped.

Archer blinked several times, wiping the dust and grime from his face. Slowly, he looked out from behind the concrete, studying the cracked and disheveled roadway before him. That strange, dark static was still running over things…

"Uhhh…"

Archer spun around on his heel, lifting his pistol to eye level. Lowering his pistol's angle, he slowly approached a man in a Kanto Army vest who appeared to be trapped under the rubble. His cut up hand slowly drew back to his own body, as if he was trying to drag himself out of the concrete that buries most of his body. Only his forehead was visible while his face was turned downward to the cold ground.

"*huff*…are you okay, boy?"

He twitched, shifting a strap that was around his dusty shoulder. Archer grunted, kneeling with his unusable arm to his side while he lifted the man's head to look him in the eyes.

"…" Grimacing, Archer took in the sight of half of the soldier's left cheek blown off, while blood leaked out from between his crimson-stained teeth. Again, the young soldier attempted to drag himself out.

Red had begun to paint the cement underneath him. Teeth clenched, he wheezed with a wide eyed, agonized look before a bubble of blood rose out of his mouth, popping at the same time that his face limply hit the ground.

"…Aw, dammit…fuckin' sick a' seein' people die. I might actually become pacifist after this damn war…" Archer sarcastically joked with himself, snorting. Looking back over his shoulder, he rolled his lip. "What the hell was that crap anyway?"

…

(*huff**huff*…)

"…*huff*…Bolt…are you okay?"

His Pikachu grunted, but nonetheless nodded. (I've…definitely felt better before…this isn't as bad as practically being gutted…)

Blurry vision faded in.

Shadow shook his head out, getting off his back and into a sitting position. Paws on the concrete between his legs, he checked his surroundings for his companion.

(Light*cough*…augh, where are you? Are you okay?)

(*cough*…over here. I'm fine.)

Shadow brought up his arm as a brace so he could lift his other arm into a four-legged position, allowing him to lift himself back onto two legs. Look behind with small pants, he could see Ash and kneeling behind Bolt, lowering his arms from the electrical shield he had erected in front of them.

Light sighed as she grabbed onto the edge of a concrete slab, lifting herself up on top of it. From her new vantage position, she could see the gaping hole in the earth where the dark Zapmolcuno had landed. Truly, the buildings that once stood around them were now reduced to juts and slices of concrete, metal and glass that littered the road and the flattened lots.

Silently, she nodded to Shadow as he looked over to her.

Ash stood up, dusting off his shoulders as his eyes lit up with aura…

There was a grayness everywhere, then came the blinding sight of Light's aura, then the blue hue of Bolt's and then finally the gold of Shadow's. The area around the hole seemed just as gray as everything else…

Then a jet-black aura shot from it.

Ash's aura-filled eyes widened as he braced his legs…

AAAIIIIEEEE!

The ground gave way under the alarmed Pikachu, feeling himself suddenly being lifted off the ground and into Ash's right arm, followed by the quick jolt of him picking up Light. Gasping, Shadow caught he quick flash of the bird's head exploding out from the hole, screaming.

Shadow cried out as he was suddenly tossed onto the ground by a wave of black that threw them all forward and out of Ash's grip. Gravel grinded against his fur for a moment before he stopped.

(Wha…) Shadow mumbled in shock, propping himself on his back to see Ash getting onto his hands, looking up towards the demon birds. A few feet to his left, Light had slid into the flat part of a metal beam.

Though disoriented by the sudden impact of the metal, Light understood exact;y what was going on; Shadow was on his back to her right, worriedly looking from her to the birds. Bolt had run to Ash's side, charging static by his mast as he got to his feet.

Ash grimaced, his spiky black hair waving in the gales coming off the black Zapmolcuno. His brown eyes narrowed, his focus starting to come back after seeing the rips across the bird's chest. The Zapdos head had scarlet running from its eyes, its spiky feathers turned dark. The Articuno head twitched erratically, opening its beak and closing to release short bursts of ice crystals.

The Moltres head was completely consumed by a black flame, obscured behind angular, blood-red spikes of flame at the front of it, forming demonic eyes with a wicked, crooked-looking strike of red flame below that formed into a smile…

"_Even the purest of souls…__"_

"_...even the brightest..."_

Red and black flame spewed out from the 'face' the Moltres now had, mixing the bird's agonized scream with a lower, sinister register of it. To the right of it, the Zapdos cackled madly as the gray Articuno head hissed in a hollow voice.

"_...__can be corrupted by the dark!"_

…

…

…

I have a question:

What do you, the readers, want to see in the story?

Tell me in the reviews or PM me about your thoughts.


	11. Chpt X: The Crash

Chapter X: The Crash

October 1, 2061 9:17 a.m.

"Ketchum, what the hell is going on? I'm hearing quite a commotion!"

"Sir, get everyone out of grid squares 9, 10, 11, and 12!"

Ash lowered his hand from his earpiece quickly so that he could cartwheel past rays of black ice and lightning that cracked the air.

AAIIIEEE!

"_Be burned!"_

"_Be frozen!"_

"_Be electrocuted!"_

"_BE DEAD!"_

The black, fiery 'mask' over the Moltres's head opened its jagged, crooked mouth wide as sharp, glistening ice crystals the size of footballs tore into the air out of the twitching Articuno's mouth.

Flashes of orange and black in a forming sphere created a high-pitched humming sound, growing more erratic as the ball's energy shined brighter.

The ground rumbled underneath Shadow. He grunted every time he had to flip or jump of another piece of debris that was tossed up from the ground by the massive flaming beam that exploded from the beast's mouth. The intensity of the heat was actually turning Shadow's vision a red tint. Fireballs blasted out in clusters from where the beam ripped through the broken concrete, whistling loudly as they arced upward and then back towards the ground..

The Articuno side extended its wing as far as it possibly could to its side, its twitching ceased for a moment.

Ash's eyes widened as bluish mist rose up around the wing. "Get out of its way!"

AAIIIEEE!

With one, magnificent thrust of its wing, the Articuno side blasted freezing air towards the group, throwing frost over the ice shards that shot along with it.

(*Huff!**Huff!*) Shadow gasped as he sprinted past and over the ruins that lay out in front of him, followed closely by the wave of frost and debris that rushed up behind. Looking back over his shoulder, he eyed a silhouette rapidly becoming more visible within the cloud of diamond dust.

The monster blasted out from the ice with all of their beaks centered in front of their conjoined body, their energies rapidly charging into spheres that formed a multicolored triangle of red, yellow and blue...

_Damn, Tri Attack!_

Pain struck across his front legs. Before he could even shout a cry of pain, he found himself flipped over onto his back after tripping on a slab of concrete. The birds reared back their heads as Shadow looked up at them, hastily getting up.

(Shadow!) Light called out, seeing her friend directly in the path of the bird's Tri Attack, with no time to dodge.

The birds screeched as the spheres exploded forward with a shockwave, hurtling towards Shadow. Eyes wide, he clenched his teeth for the impact…

_AntiShadow fell back into the ground, quickly raising both arms to the sides. Instead of disappearing into a black pit of flame, he left a black silhouette on the ground…_

_Gritting his teeth, Shadow pushed Light out of the way as the shadow on the ground dashed towards them, exploding with a hail of dark energy as AntiShadow shot back up with his fist up. Landing, AntiShadow chuckled once more and crossed his arms. _

_(You…) Shadow said as he got up, the dark energy in his paws rampant. On the other side of AntiShadow, Light picked herself up and stuck her paw out, coursing with white energy that was ready to be used against the Antireal. _

_(That's a technique called Ethereal Spike…)_

…_It's the only way!_

Shadow growled quickly as dark energy rushed up around him, letting himself fall backwards toward the ground as the red, yellow, and light blue spheres made contact with the ground.

(SHADOW!) Light cried out as ice, fire and electricity exploded from where the attack hit. A slight wetness began to bundle under her eyes as the wave of combined energy razed the ground, blasting its way towards her. She raised her arms quickly, staring out to the point where the attack hit as white energy formed a dome over her.

…_It feels like I'm flying…_

_Its cold, it's dark…_

…_but I can see everything above me. The blast is tearing things up…_

…_I guess this'll be a good opportunity to get a little revenge. _

The whitish-transparent dome flickered as Light lowered her arms, shivering from what she thought she just saw: Shadow's death.

"Damn…wait, what's that?" Ash said to himself. Bolt looked up towards his master as he pointed down from the mutilated car they were standing atop.

A lone silhouette was moving towards the chimera at high speed, getting directly under it a second after being spotted by Ash.

Shadow felt the cold and heat in the air, followed by static that embraced his cheeks as he shot out of the ground in a torrent of dark energy, fist up. It rushed out from within him, from around him, a massive jet of black aura that engulfed the bird's entire body.

(That was…!) Bolt spoke, brow creasing. Ash nodded to his friend as he jumped up from the metal towards the enemy, electricity extending up his arm from his hand.

_He shouldn't be able to use attacks like that…_

Sure enough, Shadow felt the bird's blood splatter onto his arm and face like drops of hot liquid ruby. Black and silver feathers floated in a bundle, some sprayed by more tiny droplets of scarlet. The sudden, explosive force of the blow had thrown the bird skyward with an ear-piercing scream.

Ash stopped as the birds screamed even more, blood continually raining down as he lifted his arms to the sky, electricity crackling madly over his skin.

The warm red continued to trickle out from their chest. The Zapdos head made a sound like a cross between chirping and screaming, looking down towards the bright, bluish-white cracks of electricity that funneled out of Ash's upraised arms.

Feathers upon its neck stood erect. Extending its beak, the Zapdos quickly caught the beam in its mouth, narrow eyes revealing nothing but raw bloodlust. Meanwhile, the shadowy, fiery mask over the Moltres's head narrowed one eye, smiling madly as bloody red sparks flared from its maw.

"!" Ash withdrew his arms as Shadow ran up by his side, glaring up towards the chimera. "It absorbed the electricity!"

"Yeah…by the way, we need to talk after this, Shadow." Ash responded calmly.

The great bird nosed over in the sky, sweeping its gray and black wings powerfully as it dove back to the ground.

Bolt and Shadow grunted in unison as they jumped back, then once again as Ash jumped forward, all getting out of the way as the chimera swooped in, bashing through the debris on the ground with a mighty force. On top of a concrete slap, Light tensed her hind legs and leapt as far as she could as the Articuno's wing sliced through the air under her and demolished the stone she was standing on. Nosing up again, they winged over as the black Zapdos head swung over the top of the others. Loud humming ripped the air as the electricity in its beak focused tightly into a small, blinding sphere at the tip of its drill-like beak.

AAAIIIIEEEE!

Shadow and Bolt raised their dusty yellow paws, ears pointing straight up as their combined electricity surged into a dome around them. With a frighteningly powerful shake of the ground under them, waves of concentrated electricity pounded their bubble.

…

"Son of a bitch! What the fuckin' hell is that bird thing up to?" Archer ranted under his breath as light traces of static zapped his body, tensing up his muscles like tightening rope. With a grunt, he forced up his wounded left arm, pain flashing through his triceps like magma in his skin.

He managed to punch in some buttons on his radio before his arm swung limply back to his side. He waited with a snarled lip behind cover as the Rockets who had spotted him from the other side of the road began to recover, shouting.

"…This is Tango Sierra Charlie, please ID."

"Screw ID! I want to know the location of nearby units, I've been cut off and I'm bein' surrounded here! I authenticate my clearance level, 3, 9, 5, 7, 0, 4, 28, Suicune, Fish head!"

"…Clearance confirmed. A squad is actually on the next grid square from yours, and they're passing into yours as we speak, I'll send for them to pick you up. What is your status?"

"My left arm is shot right now, and like I said, I have a squad of Rockets convergin' on me. All I have with me is a sniper rifle with no rounds in it and a pistol with a spent power cell!"

Archer could hear the Rockets approaching even closer now, making beads of sweat begin to slide down his dusty forehead. Looking out from behind his cover, he was able to make out their slender, feminine faces, much to his surprise.

He shook his head. "Great. Just what I need. A squad of Rockets that are all women! Call me sexist, but maybe I could just bang 'em all and they'll leave me alone. I was one hell of a womanizer when I was younger…"

"On second thought, Rocket women are probably fuckin' bitchy. They'll just shoot me up." He muttered, reaching under his belt, feeling past his combat knife for a small pouch. Poking two fingers into it, he nodded to himself. "Good thing this little girl ain't a bitch with me."

He looked over the makeshift concrete barrier he was behind, motioning his rifle so that the ten women could see the flash of light reflecting off his scope. As soon as he was sure they saw, they had dropped behind some rubble a distance away. Using this time, he unearthed a black Pokéball with the stylized letters KAM-TS in blue and yellow on top of it. As soon as it expanded, he gave it a short toss to the ground next to him, releasing a beam of red light.

The small, dark gray and red fox looked up at him with light blue eyes, snickering a little. Its translator collar beeped to life. "Hello my favorite old man, what can I do for you?"

"I'm only 45, got it, ya little Zorua? Anyway, I need you to help me make a distraction for your fellow women over there."

…Soon the squad that had been sent to get Archer rounded the corner to the street the sniper was on. Strangely to them, the situation did not appear nearly as dire as he had said; somehow the old soldier had managed to get his hands on a red and black-colored minigun. Twisting barrels fired a massive river of lasers as the Rockets from behind the concrete barricade he was at. He slowly whistled the rhythm of 'Smooth Criminal' to himself as the beams continued to smash and rip up the cover the grunts had hid behind.

"…You've been hit by…you've been shot by…a smooth rifleman…"

…

Ash took a step back; teeth gritted as he looked to the ground beside him and extended his arm, trying to reach for some invisible handle. With a crack, the pavement split open wide to reveal a large leafy bulb that grew out with its leaves opening to reveal four large, pulsing stamens.

Shadow ran by as the master swept his arm from the plant towards the chimera, pointing at it as the tubes retracted upon themselves.

One seed shot out from a stamen towards the birds in the air, barely missing with a whistle, and then another until a massive barrage of the ovular seeds shot out into the air like bullets flying out of a quad machine gun. Some shot close enough to the birds that they actually exploded like flak.

Certainly, it was a shining example of 'Bullet Seed'.

Lightning stretched up from Shadow's body, lashing out at the Articuno side as the bird wheel around once more. and yet again, Shadow could feel air buffet him from above as they dove with the Moltres head's 'mask' blasting a river of flame like burning napalm from its demonic grin.

A barrage of the seeds that continued to shoot from the pod next to Ash exploded right in front of the face, making it seem to disrupt like static on a television, producing a horrid screech as flame continued to shoot out from its dreadful maw, alighting a bright line of the ground on fire as they passed over once more.

Ash grinded his teeth for a moment, his spiky black hair waving in the gale as he dashed away from the bulb he had sprouted from the ground. The heel of his left boot melted slightly as the fire engulfed the place he had been standing in, warping pieces of metal scattered about and incinerating the plant.

The Articuno head screamed again as lighting whipped through its wing, tearing off black feathers and shreds of blood. Eyes alight with malice, it whipped its neck around over the masked Moltres's and recoiled as its powerful Ice Beam shot from its mouth at their attackers.

_If only we could reason with it…_

…_but it's too far gone._

(Light, jump when I say so, and try to latch onto its back!) Bolt yelled moments before the Zapmolcuno was upon them, his ears flailing past his focused, serious façade. With her own appendages flying back, Light braced her legs, her brow creased in her own focus...

_Will you let me…?_

"_Consider my power yours."_

(Now!)

AAIIEEE!

Light leapt forward in unison with Bolt, rolling over in the air as the combined strength of a Blizzard, Thunder and Flamethrower attack ripped the wall they had been standing on into burning gravel and frozen dust. Her paws caught onto the spiky edge of the Zapdos wing, feeling the static coming off it was frying her own electricity. Catching her paws onto this side of the Zapmolcuno was definitely a bad idea…

The icy surface of the Articuno's wing wasn't helping Bolt out either. As soon as he landed, one of his legs slipped on the cold feathers. Gritting his teeth, Bolt had to quickly release electricity into his paw, creating an electrical dagger to stab into the bird's wing to hang on.

"Do they know what they're doing?" Shadow yelled over the bird's screeches as it wheeled around again, angling its back towards a burning apartment office in the distance, soaring high up to where the Raichu and Pikachu on its back were barely visible. Ash nodded, though unsure as well. "They've got something going, but we better get over there as well. I doubt Light's going to feel well after being short-circuited."

Ash crouched his legs for a moment, taking off like a bullet into the air, flipping onto the rugged top of a broken, smoking hotel with Shadow close in pursuit.

Bolt heard muscle tendons rip under his electrical knife, staining his paws and face with sprits of crimson. Stems of the cold feathers beneath the skin broke with the static. Over his head, the Articuno head twitched wildly, screaming with agony as Bolt's electricity ran rampant through its dark energy-infused nerves. Though behind the dark mask the Moltres seemed to be recoiling, the face on the veil of dark fire remained calm, just giving a slight frown as they hurtled towards the burning shell of a skyscraper. Looking ahead, Bolt cursed under his breath. (Oh boy…)

The impact alone shook Light's hold on the spiked black feathers. Next came the barrage of flaming wreckage that came down on them with the roar of the roof yawing down on them from above. With little time to spare, she encased herself in a white barrier, still holding onto the Zapdos's wing despite the constant pain from touching it. Static whipped around her paws, like it was drawing out her electricity...

"_Stay strong! Push it back!"_

A single desk from the building blasted out of the windows before the birds came soaring through with a billow of debris and smoke in their wake. The Zapdos side's wing stayed perfectly still, blood sliding out of the many cuts under its feathers as white aura began to overtake the electricity that was surging out from the white dome.

"_Just a little more!"_

(rrrrrRRRRAAAAA!)

The whole top of the skyscraper leaned over, explosions racking it height. In seconds, the entire tops had disintegrated from the explosions, beginning to rain down like a burning, rocky avalanche.

Bolt grunted as more debris smacked against his fur. Both of his front paws were numb from the cold under him; he could see his digits slipping on the electrical dagger he had plunged into the Articuno's wing.

"Here they come!"

The air around the bird rippled with energy, bright orange sparks trailing in their wake. The masked Moltres shrieked as the blood-red mouth obscuring its face made motions like it was laughing as black and red fire spewed from its maw and over its back.

"_Release it all now!"_

High above the ground, the sphere surrounding Light as she held onto the black Zapdos wing collapsed in on itself for a moment, making Light's form visible for a moment. The concentration of energy around her made her fur look a silvery white. One of her paws left the spiky wing, crossed over her upper abdomen. Eyes flashing like stars, she roared as she thrust her arm back out.

Scratches across Bolt's body seared with the icy bird's cold. Even more, the energy surrounding Light was blinding him. Waves of it flashed through the air, passing through himself and the chimera he and her grasped onto.

_Damn…at this rate…!_

With his paws nearly frozen, Bolt could hold on tightly enough to stop the white waves from ripping his paws apart from each other, disrupting the small lightning dagger he had used to hold on. With a yell, he was blasted off the bird towards the ground. (Aaah!)

(Augh!) Shadow grunted, raising his arm while shutting one of his eyes, shielding himself from the blinding waves of light that exploded into the sky. The black on the bird's body looked like it was being ripped away on the waves that blasted out from Light. The ear-piercing shrieks deafened all who could hear as Zapmolcuno hurtled down towards him and Ash…

Shards of concrete stabbed into his fur and cut across the edges of his body. Even as Shadow was recoiling from this, his eyes went wide as a massive wave of dark and white energy blasted the wind from his lungs.

His cry came out soundless in the way of the power throwing up everything around him. As he was sent flying, the birds screeched again, hurtling down on him…

AAIIIIEEE!

…

There was darkness all around. Unseen scars were searing through his fur, blood running down from them and into the dust…

…

Blurs appeared before him, showing a painting of an orange, black and gray sky. The distant sounds of lasers firing and Pokémon fighting came to him.

High-pitched crooning noises split the air a distance before him. He could hear electricity surging in the air. A thick, jagged strike of lightning burst down from the sky above.

Shadow grunted, quickly putting his paws back to prop himself up. It seemed even with the force of the crash, the mutant bird had not yet been beaten…

(…Dammit…) Shadow muttered to himself.

Ash grasped out towards the Ice Beam attack streaming from the bloodied Articuno's scratched-up beak. Eyes squinting from the force of the cold, he growled as his aura flared up around his arm and ripped his arm back, deflecting the Ice Beam into the sky.

The Zapdos head lay deathly limp on the other side of the bird, blankly staring up into the dusty air with white-out eyes ringed by a thick moss of blood vessels that seemed to leak out into the scarlet streams running down its face.

And finally, the Moltres head was still masked by the demon face, scars running across its neck. Black and purple fog rose out of the cuts along with its blood, creating a dark haze over it. Rearing itself back, the demon Moltres head snapped forward at a battered and bruised Bolt.

(It may not be flying, but it's definitely not down!) Bolt yelled as the face bit down on the chunk of concrete he had just been standing on, instantly blasting it to pieces. Sliding to a stop, Bolt twisted around and let loose torrents of his electrical power at the Articuno.

Its raptor-like call sounded as its Ice Beam met the electricity, sending cold shards everywhere as they grinded against each other with the sound of a buzz saw.

Shadow looked from his elder Pikachu to the Pokémon Master, then all around them. Where'd Light go?

The Moltres's head swung violently to the side as a white explosion caught its neck. Somehow, she was still holding on to its back, eyes white like snow. One paw clasped into the Moltres's blood-ridden black feathers, while the other stiffly stayed pointed at the demon bird's neck, charging another burst of her aura.

A strange fullness slowly pulsed in Shadow's chest. Reaching out to get himself to his feet, Shadow felt another beat of the feeling reverberate through him…

(What the…)

Black sparks popped at his cheeks. The bumps in his chest sent waves of cold through his muscles, his joints stiffening just as he got to two feet. All over him, his fur stood on end where it could…

"_I want to have some fun for just a second, me."_

_Leave…me…alone!_

"_Oh, I'll never leave you alone. I'm a part of you, after all…" _

(… I'm a part of you, after all…) Shadow mumbled, a short burst of red lighting his eyes as the side of his mouth curled into a sinister smile...

(Gah!)

Rough concrete seared across Bolt's back as he scraped against it, gasping for breath after the Moltres slammed its masked head into him. Some of the fiery black aura from the face engulfed a section of the Pikachu's chest with an odd, freezing sensation rather than a burning one. The Articuno's beak opened wide, its screech slicing through the air.

Bolt jumped to his right with barely enough time to avoid the following Ice Beam. His view briefly shifted to Light as she held on for dear life to the Moltres's neck. (Light! Get the hell off that thing!)

Light made no move to show any intention of that. Her paws dug as far as they could into the bird's feathers, constantly and furiously shuddering from the massive amounts of electricity she forced into it. The blood that ran from the cuts in its skin where Light dug her digits roasted as they touched her static, leaving a stomach-churning smell…

The Master's right hand went numb as another burst of fire seared across it. Though he managed to deflect the Flamethrower into the air, he was visibly shaken; both of Ash's eyes were wide with pain, teeth defiantly clenched against the fiery pain.

_Augh…fuck! Now I remember why Moltres causes wildfires just by flying over a forest…_

…_huh?_

Ash looked over his shoulder just in time to see a black static-covered Shadow charging towards them at incredible speed. The lust for blood was visible in both of his eyes as he raced past Ash, the whipping energy throwing everything, including, the Master, off the ground.

"Augh!" Ash cried as he hit the ground on his back, raising both arms over his head to try and flip back onto his feet. Meanwhile, Shadow burst straight at the creature, crazed smirk growing as Bolt dodged jumped over another swing of the Moltres's beak and got in his way…

(Out of my way!) Shadow yelled viciously, his voiced somewhat layered.

Bolt looked over his shoulder, just barely seeing a flash of Shadow's blood-red eyes before the Pikachu's arm brutally smashed into Bolt's back.

(HAHK!)

Bolt felt like he lost feeling in his body, his nerves thrown wild by the sheer force of Shadow swinging his arm to slam Bolt out of the path between him and the Zapmolcuno…

Concrete shards had imbedded themselves into his fur, all over him. Blood began to soak his fur in crimson, running down from so many cuts in him. Fang-shaped markings curved down from his scarlet eyes and toward the center of his face.

Light tugged onto the Moltres's neck, her entire body swinging with it as it noticed the demonic-looking Pikachu running up to it. As if on cue, Light saw Shadow jump up in her direction with his eyes full of a strange, gleeful malice and his paws brimming over with dark energy.

His paws smashed into the black and red face over the Moltres's head as it swung back over. The face's eyes widened, its mouth tearing apart under the force and power of Shadow's attack. In a swirl of the combined dark energies, the bloodied, mutilated face of the bird beneath the face was revealed for but an instant, eyes rolled back into its skull before Shadow's paw made contact.

"_We do cherish killing…"_

"…_right, me?"_

!

Blood sprayed out of the bird's head like a rosy blossom. As the sound of bone cracking hit Light's ears, so did a wave of black that ripped her from the bird and blinded her with a massive, chilling sensation.

(…Shadow…!)

The faint sound of Shadow laughing as his paw shredded through the Moltres's skull sounded among the chaotic roar of the surrounding area being ripped and blasted apart. The ground swiftly buckled in front of the shockwave, thrown up into the air alongside the fires and smoke.

"What?" Ash gasped as the shockwave blasted towards him. Clenching his teeth, he swiftly raised himself to his feet, looking left to see Bolt still recovering from Shadow's blow.

Shakily, Bolt got to his feet despite the rumbling of the ground beneath him. His breaths were strained, one paw on his chest. Weakly, he put them out in front of himself, static zapping across himself. With a grunt, however, Bolt's arms dropped as pain went through him, falling to all fours.

Ash slid out in front of him, his hands out the mere moment the debris was about to smash them….

"Thunder shield!"

The ground cracked under them as the debris crashed into them like a tsunami of earth. Metal buzzed and concrete shattered off the barrier, darkness shrouded their vision outside the dome. Bolt recoiled a bit, eyes widening as his nose picked up the powerful, choking scent of the bird's blood.

A few seconds felt like hours in that barrier…the power that had been unleashed was almost like when they had first met Shadow many months ago. The air felt cold, lifeless…the electricity running through the shield was the only illumination under the fog of dark energy.

Soon, Ash saw the blackness leave his sight along with the flying debris. Still, the smell of blood radiated around them, entwined with the smoke and dust that hovered above crumbled ruin. Low buzzing sounds ran with the black static sparking from where Zapmolcuno once stood.

"_Thanks for the fun."_

It looked almost like someone had dyed Shadow's arm, face and torso fur red. His fist shuddered in the pool of mixed blood and guts that remained in the Moltres's hollowed-out skull. Just a skull, devoid of skin and feathers, only a coating of blood from the blackened tip of its beak down to where the neck was still covered in bloody flesh and down.

"_Did you enjoy the experience, me?"_

He could still feel the vast reserves of his electricity built up in his body, but he felt so drained nonetheless. The amount of the crimson swirling at his feet felt like it strengthened his lightheadedness…

"_I may have used a little more of our energy than I should've…I'm sure we're alright with that."_

"Shadow! Light!"

Shadow turned slowly to see Ash swinging over a small wall and back onto the debris coating the ground, Bolt held closely in one arm. Though his sight became increasingly blurry, he could see the 'Chu jump down from Ash's arms and run towards him while Ash headed off behind Shadow…

"I'll find Light…check…Shadow!"

Shadow blinked weakly, his increasingly unfocused senses fading as Bolt rushed up to him, his own breathing somewhat forced.

(Damn, Shadow…)

His body was lifted up onto two feet despite the fact that they were dragging, Bolt putting Shadow's arm over his neck as the younger 'Chu blacked out amidst the sounds of continuing war beyond them…

"…_It'll get even better soon…"_

"_Me."_

…

_This is why I hate having experience as a medic in addition to technological knowledge…_

_I've had to attend to so many wounded today. One or two of the guys out here had an arm mangled beyond recognition. I can't believe both of them were still alive. Working on the first wasn't so tough, but then we apparently had run out of anesthetic to work on the second. The amount of body bags they've been carrying out of here doesn't help much either, not does the constant sound of screams and explosions…_

_Then there was a Butterfree that had its wings gone and its entire body covered in third degree burns. If it wasn't the sheer amount of blackened flesh and blood coming off it that made me want to gag, it was the screams that it was crying out to us all. Working in a bombed-out Trainers' School did not make anything easier, I'll tell you. And absolutely nothing is worse than having to put some of these poor souls out of their misery when they're too far gone. The Rockets had tortured some of the men and Pokemon they had captured. I only heard about what they had done to some of the human captives, but I was here to witness the damage they had inflicted on some of these creatures…_

_An Arbok's fangs and tail were cut off. A Starmie came in that was still sparking from an electrocution. They had blasted a Machop's arms and legs wide open with their weapons. _

_Then, the worst of the day for me; what I believe was, at one time, a Bayleef. _

_The two leaves on its head were a deathly black, and barbs adorned their edges. I couldn't tell exactly if it…she was just badly bruised or if her skin was really dark gray. Her eyes were a horrifying black…_

_Hmph, they had to bring her to me in chains. I can't blame them, though…she looked like she was about to charge at one of us. I doubt we could've stopped her if she did…_

…_then Ash rushed in, a few bandages shrouding his face and arms. Even when the Bayleef growled at him, he continued towards her. I suppose you could only gain that kind of courage after being through what he's been through. Either that…or this was HIS Bayleef._

_I'm sure that I'm correct about that notion. Why else would she stop struggling on the chains we had her in once he got within arm's reach of her? Why else would she lower her head to him and try to nuzzle him with her forehead? Why else would her jet-black eyes become so soft before she began crying in his hands' embrace? _

_Of course, I'm sure Namba had something to do with her condition. Ash told me that man had forced her to battle him, Shadow, Light and Bolt before they went after the bird monster I've been hearing about. _

_However, he told me to keep an eye on Shadow. He went berserk again, and I've seen how that turns out… _

_Well, afterwards I found him and Light in an adjacent room. Of course, after being in the kind of battle they were in, both of them were out cold. The army seems to have run out of beds, so they had them in one bed together. I'm thinking that Shadow heard me approaching, because I could see his ears perk up for a moment. I'm pretty sure his eyes opened for a moment, but he stayed asleep. _

_Shadow was cut up badly; to me it looked like he had been caught in a shrapnel blast. Despite this, he was sleeping quite soundly. From what I heard from Ash, they had been in one hell of a battle. Namba had them fight a fusion he had created of Zapdos, Moltres, and Articuno. The entire area of where the battle was supposedly fought was razed. Of course, despite the probable power of such a foe, they came out alright, compared to how many others would have been…_

_Once again I see how resilient he is._

_Looking on him, I felt just a little responsible for his wounds. I'm the one who made him who he is, after all. He's fared through the life Team Rocket gave him and all the pain it gave him, all the time thinking their cause was right. Then, in the blink of an eye, it fell down all around him. I can only imagine how much strain and internal suffering that must've caused him…_

_Was it worth it, though? It was only because of him that I was able to get Giovanni's trust, if only for the time. He has knowledge of so many of the Rocket's practices, and I'm sure he might be able to blend right in with them if he has to. When I was discovered, he managed to save me and Light, while taking down one of the most dangerous Pokémon agents they had at their disposal. Most of all, his experience with Light is maybe the only time he's ever opened up to someone. She's really helping him through most of this, even better than Ash and Bolt are. The way he snapped at Zero when he stabbed her back in the Rocket base tells me a lot about how protective he must be of her. _

_Well, I hope I can speak with him soon. I've got so much to discuss with him. At least, in the vein of things, he's out of that place and here with us. _

_His life here will be much better than what it was in Team Rocket. _

_For a while I've been sitting by his and Light's side now, just keeping an eye on them, maybe talk with them if they wake soon. This little scene I'm seeing of them is just…hm, what's the right word…cute? They're sleeping huddled next to one another, Shadow covered in bandages and Light with a heartbeat monitor on her arm. It looks to me like they've gotten much closer since I last saw them. Every now and then they're nuzzling in their sleep. Hopefully after this war they can settle down somewhere. I wonder what a Pichu from these two would be like…_

_Of course that certainly isn't my decision to make whether or not they actually commit to such things soon but I believe that as close as they are, it'll happen someday. I just hope that how I've 'contributed' to Shadow won't stop that. _

_This raises another concern of mine…he lost it again today. Light's fine here, but something must've happened. I wonder what could've possibly et him off…I pray his powers aren't going out of control. I can't bear to think that the dark energy is slipping out of his control. I'll have to watch him as closely as I can to make sure. Hopefully I'll be able to reverse the process, somehow, so someday he might be able to go out as natural as any other Pikachu out there… _

_Well the battle is still going strong, and I should probably log off now. For now I'll just be waiting here next to them so when they eventually wake up I can see how they've been doing. At the same time...I should be checking the energy readings radar for this 'generator' that Ash told me so briefly about. Apparently it was the main reason why they had gone in and attacked so far ahead of the main force. Until then, this is Xepher, logging off. _

…


	12. Chpt XI: Disbelief

Again, I would like to thank all my readers for your support. Tell me what you think of this one!

...

Chapter XI: Disbelief

October 1, 2061 7:00 p.m.

"So where's our new team leader?"

Another sniper shook his head, his glossy wood-finished rifle in one arm. "He'll be here soon…and let me warn you, don't joke around with him."

One of the ghillie-suited men in the line looked up to the sky as a trio of helicopters flew over. Smirking, he rubbed a finger across his unshaven face. "What, is he a grouch?"

"Nope, I'm just old, boy."

All of the ten snapped into a line faster than lightning, rifles held in one hand to their right side against their legs. As the sounds of laser fire crossed their ears another sniper walked in front of them, one of his arms bound in bandages. The other held his rifle, freshly shined and cleaned of the grime collected during the day's events. Perched on his shoulder was a small black and red fox, looking at all of them with curious albeit deviant blue eyes.

Archer eyed the ten in front of him carefully, his sweat drenched forehead lined with dust in the creases of his skin. Once he got to the last man, he turned around and walked to the center of the line. "Snipers, present arms!"

Rifles went up in front of their snipers like arrows pointing upward, hands stiff around their grips and forward guards. Archer cocked his head slightly as he walked down the line again, inspecting the various weapons. He stopped at the fourth soldier in the order, reaching for his rifle's magazine.

The clip release clicked as he took it out. Archer slipped the tip of his finger into the front of the magazine and carefully took the first bullet out of the box, turning it in his bandaged hand. His Zorua shook her head, and Archer did the same. "What is this, soldier?"

"It's .308 Winchester, sir." The pale-faced man responded, the bottom of his face below his eyes hidden by a navy blue cloth. Archer nodded, his moustache moving along with his lip. He looked up to the younger sniper, his aged gaze as sharp as ever. "It's a proven round, pretty reliable. However, I advise that you get a rifle with a bigger cartridge size, at least .30-06 for better range. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir."

Archer slipped the round back into the clip and inserted it back into the man's rifle. His eyes wandered up towards the tip of the gun's barrel. One of his eyes squinted with a hint of anger, his sight trailing over the bare ends of the other sniper's barrels.

"…I've got a bit of a question for you all." He said with the 'twang' clearly audible in his voice. Looking back to the first of the line and across to the end, he raised his own sniper rifle to where the end of his weapon's barrel was at his nose. The wrinkled pointer on his injured hand pointed up to the black cylinder at the end, giving a short jump of his head to call out the second sniper at the end of the line. "What's this thing?"

A woman's voice at the end of the row responded, "It's a silencer, sir."

Archer nodded as he lowered his gun. The Zorua on his shoulder looked to him, stifling a small snicker so natural to her species. "The real question is this, now: Why in HELL do NONE OF YOU HAVE SILENCERS?"

…

*…click-clack-click-clack…*

(…mmph…)

Xepher typed away at his laptop, different programming commands scrolling up the side of the screen as an energy wave detection system moved rapidly in multicolored spikes. In particular, Xepher eyed a pulsing area on the grid where energy seemed to be periodically released. One hand gently pushed his glasses up as more information appeared under his symphony of typing. The clicking continued in rapid succession, ceasing for mere moments before starting up again.

Shadow's paws touched upon fur to his left side as his eyes slowly and wearily opened. White fur rose and fell on Light's chest as she continued to sleep, her right paw grasping softly on his left. As if noticing his slight movement in her sleep, Light nuzzled her head right under Shadow's. Upon her face rode a calm, pleased smile. Blinking, he ran his left paw across the smooth, light orange and brown striped fur on her back.

Xepher looked over his computer screen towards the small bed. He smiled as Shadow caught sight of him, turning away from his computer and bending with his arms crossed over his knees. "It's good to see you again, Shadow. I'm glad that you're finally awake, I was hoping maybe I could talk with you."

"Talk with me about what?" Shadow asked.

Xepher put his finger vertical to his mouth, looking around them at the other patients being attended to. "Sorry…but as you would probably know, the Army doesn't exactly have the knowledge that you're with us now. I'm going to have to ask you to put this on, Shadow, just to lower any suspicion." He spoke as his right hand fiddled in his coat pocket for a moment before pulling out a black and blue nylon collar with a small, black box on the side.

Shadow nodded, lifting up his head so Xepher could slip the fabric around his neck. After what he did in Team Rocket, he was very sure of what Xepher just said. Of course, who could blame Kanto for hunting him when he had killed so many from their army and how much he had contributed to their losses in the past?

Shadow laid his head back down above Light's as a green light began to flash periodically on the black box. "I heard that you had quite an experience in the forest. How have things been going for you?"

Shadow sighed. (I've been fine…mostly…)

Xepher frowned. "Mostly?"

(…I lost it again, Xepher. The power overtook me again, that's how I was able to stop that thing earlier…) Shadow mumbled out for the collar to translate, ears drooping back against the dull white fabric of the bed. (Xepher, I just don't know…I was only able to beat Marxus both times I fought him because I used that same power.)

"Marxus…that thing Namba made, right?"

Shadow shook his head only slightly, as to not disturb Light at his side. (No. Apparently Marxus was over a thousand years old, and Namba managed to just reincarnate him. I'm glad you didn't have to see what he did…)

Xepher tilted his head, his eyebrows curving ever so slightly with concern. Shadow's view had turned back down to stare straight down toward the end of the bed he lay on. He didn't know if Shadow realized it or not, but Xepher could see his Pikachu friend's right fist shaking at his side, clenched powerfully with trails of black static zapping across it.

"Calm down, Shadow. Let's just drop the subject of Marxus for now. On another note…" He said as his lips curved into a small smile. "Are you and Light getting along?"

Shadow's fist stopped shaking, relaxing as his stare ceased from the end of the bed, turning instead towards the sleeping Raichu at his side. Finally, a subject he wasn't particularly stressed with talking about.

Shadow rubbed his left paw along her forehead. (I couldn't have asked for a better person or Pokémon to have gone out of Team Rocket with.)

"That's very good." Xepher commented. Shadow nodded. (She's helped me a lot in the little time we've had outside Team Rocket. She's…she's made me feel like I'm actually wanted as living being, and not as some weapon…and I really appreciate her for that. I may not have had much experience with love in Team Rocket, but I know that I love her.)

"…you know, I didn't actually expect you two to get along this well…" Xepher sighed, his smile dropping as Shadow looked up at him with a confused look. (Why?)

"With your opposite energies…I thought you two would more likely despise each other than love each other. After all that had happened that had led up to you two meeting, I believed that this level of closeness between you would have been impossible."

(What do you mean by that?)

"Well, it's almost common sense to believe that opposites would never get along, for example, two political parties or two differing ideals. They almost never get along or try to compromise. You and she, however, seem to be the opposite ends of a magnet instead."

(…It looks like it…) Shadow said with a smirk, looking down to where Light's head lay over his neck.

(So Xepher…how did you end up getting into Team Rocket without them noticing anything?)

"I actually joined at first as a spy for the army. They had noticed Team Rocket was getting more violent than usual, so they sent me in June 2055."

…

"_Xepher, correct?" _

"_Yes, Mr. Namba."_

"_Welcome to my labs, I assume you know what you have to do here? If not, then you'll be assisting me for the time being. We have a lot to prepare, you see."_

"_Prepare, sir?"_

"_Warfare is something you need a long time to think ahead about, Xepher. By the time we're through with Kanto I'm afraid everything from the sands at the coasts of Vermillion to the forests of Pewter will be painted in blood."_

…

"The very minute I met him, I knew that man was crazy, at the very least a sociopath. The look in his eyes have always been that of a twisted idealist…the eyes of a man who willing to destroy and obliterate any kind of ethic in the name of completing his research. I'm sure you've seen the results of that, now."

(…What about you, Xepher?)

Xepher raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Shadow hesitated, looking down toward his own chest for a moment before slowly shutting his eyes and opening them again. (So…what experiments did you run in Team Rocket?)

Xepher stiffened up ever so slightly, though he managed to disguise it with a heavy cough. "Ahem…mostly things involving…well…"

He tugged at his coat collar. "… What Giovanni wanted me to make for conquering Kanto. He wanted me to make the perfect weapon to use against them. And…that came out to be you."

(…Oh…) Shadow said, ears drooping once more. (…well…That explains me then…)

"I'm sorry, I really am. If I could make you like any other Pikachu out there, I would, Shadow. Living a normal life is a chance every living thing deserves, and I think you've earned that chance by now."

(That's the problem though…I'm not normal.) Shadow responded drearily.

"…Shadow…that's not-."

"Xepher, that Bayleef…thing is another one. We have another besides that one too."

Xepher quickly snapped up from Shadow and turned in his chair to face a young woman wearing a gray variant of the lab coat Xepher wore, plus a syringe case hanging on her right hip. Dirty blonde and somewhat unruly long hair dominated her head while signs of fading acne adorned her left cheek.

Xepher looked back at Shadow, sighing before facing the scientist again. "…Both are EtheTechs…?"

"I'm afraid so, sir." She replied worriedly. Nodding, Xepher turned back to his computer screen and pressed his finger onto the power button. As a little turn-off tune played on the machine he folded it up and rose from the chair.

"I'll be back soon, okay?"

(Alright.) The Pikachu responded. "Let's go." Xepher spoke as he turned back to the blonde and walked away through the beds with her. Watching him every step of the way, Shadow wondered in his mind…

_Ethe…Tech?_

…_No wonder that Bayleef was how it was. One, Namba probably made her like that...and EtheTech probably means Ethereal Tech…_

…

BAAH!

"Please, stay calm." Xepher said assuringly to the mutant in front of him as the syringe in his hand pressed its contents into her body. The aroma of it was almost debilitating; the deathly scent completely opposite to the spicy scent other Bayleef had was truly shocking to him.

Nonetheless, she lowered her blackened head to the ground, the spiny twin leaves on top of her head wearily dropping across her forehead. The tiny spikes along their edges retracted back onto the blades.

_Horrible…just horrible…_

_One of these days I'll find Namba myself and give him another taste of my knife. _

The blonde Xepher was with earlier shook her head and clenched her hand at her side. "Have those fucking Rockets completely destroyed their conscience? How do they find the stomach to-!"

Xepher rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Quiet down and get to work." As soon as he turned back to the Bayleef he was met by her reflective black eyes. Her face showed almost no emotion, and if it wasn't for the slight bend at the top of her eyes that signaled the silhouette of pain, she would've looked blank-faced.

…Bu…Aaahh…

More loath boiled into Xepher's mind for Namba. The soft voice he expected from her was shrouded by an apparent wheezy sound combined with an element of distortion that sounded like a lower, scratchy register of the soft voice.

Xepher rubbed his bare hand across the darkened skin of her neck, immediately noticing the dry touch. Not a smooth, vine-like surface to it, but a rough and scratchy feel, almost like scales.

"You said this was another EtheTech, so where's the first?" Xepher asked the blonde. Looking up from her clipboard where she had been scribbling away, she raised her thumb and pointed over her shoulder.

"Just a little one. I'm even more disgusted that they're doing this to smaller Pokémon too."

_Well that's no surprise to me…Namba doesn't care about any Pokemon. _

…

Metal clanged on small tables, and the distant sounds of war still filled the room. Shadow sighed as he reached over from around Light to his neck, unfastening the collar around his fur and sliding it off. He lifted it in front of his face, eyeing the lettering 'KAM' emblazoned on a small pewter thunderbolt.

He could almost see the stylized red 'R' on a reflective black tag, hung down from blackened leather. It had all the cuts and scuffs it had gotten over all the various missions and battles he had been involved in. All the discolored blotches it had from blood splashing across it. The very scent of his own blood and sweat given for what he had thought was right.

…And in reality that collar was just a symbol of slavery to a false cause…

The black and blue fibers creased and collapsed under his suddenly tightened grip.

Was this just another restraint? Was this the same as the old collar he had once worn?

_If I could make you like any other Pikachu out there, I would, Shadow. Living a normal life is a chance every living thing deserves, and I think you've earned that chance by now._

The tuft of fur over his eye lagged behind the shaking of his head. (…Xepher would never willingly put me or Light in another spot like in Team Rocket…)

(Shadow?)

The Raichu's eyes opened up carefully, peering from under their lids as her head withdrew from under Shadow's chin. Her eyes shut again as she yawned, her body rolling onto her orange, brown-striped back. Opening again, her worried eyes stared up towards the cracked ceiling.

Shadow turned to look at her, sight wandering across her figure for a moment. (…Are you feeling okay, Light? I mean…after what happened…)

She was silent, leaving him only with the sounds of distant explosions and chatter amongst the patients and doctors around the room. The soft brown of her eyes seemed dull, almost dusty.

(…You lost control again, Shadow…you lost control again…just like when we fought Marxus…)

She sounded sad…but at the same time, even more so…disappointed?

Shadow went silent as she rolled on her side to face him directly. Small droplets started to form at the corners of her eyes. (I thought…I thought you were trying to control those urges, Shadow…Why? Why did you lose it?)

…

"What the fuck happened? Is she going to be okay?" Sentinel asked with a serious look on his sweaty face, his rifle dangling from his right shoulder while his hands gripped onto two drab-gray crutches. His ghillie suit was off, showing the camouflaged cargo pants and the white T-shirt he had underneath. A pair of dogtags hung from his neck with a string of numbers on one and a rank insignia on the other, showing him to be a sergeant.

The black haired doctor looked down at the Umbreon in the bed, bottom lip tucked into his mouth as he looked over the series of bandaged cuts, one of which looked like it had almost cut the top part of her ear off. "She was bleeding pretty badly when they found her and the other two she was with. According to the squad, she was the only one of the three that was conscious. In other words, she's doing better than the others, but she's in no fit condition for battle right now."

"I can see that, damn it…Sollus, you okay girl?"

She raised her head wearily, the blue collar around her neck flashing a green light from the box on its side. She let out a short whine. (…I've been better…I'm sorry, sir…We didn't fight hard enough…)

…

(…)

Shadow was speechless as Light rolled onto her paws, standing up on the bed. She shook her head, her sight trained on the bedding below her. (I'm…I'm really starting to fear for you, Shadow. One of these days, it's going to happen again…and then…then...)

(Light-)

She bounded out of the bed with an audible sob, running away through the beds as one or two of those in the room saw and followed the Raichu with their eyes in curiosity.

"_Aww...how sad, me. Look what you've done…now she's afraid of you._

(Light, come back!) He called after her, ignoring both the ache in his body and his AntiReal's taunting voice while running after her. Small spikes of pain practically lit his body up as he skidded against the dusty tiles on the ground to turn, just barely seeing her tail whip out from the open exit at the end of the hall full of people.

_You fucking…!_

"_There's no use in blaming yourself now. All we can do now is try to talk to her…RIGHT?"_

"What the…?" "Where are those two going?" "Isn't that Pikachu injured?"

When he rounded the corner he swung his head back and forth, looking for her. Sniffing into the air, he caught her scent and bolted into a shrubby area behind the building.

…

Shadow crawled further into the woods, strikes of pain quickly scratching where the bandages covered his scars. His ears constantly twitched as the sounds of laser fire was much closer now. The tint of the sky had become a deep orange, with a layer of purple creeping up on it from the west. Wind rustled in the trees, dragging out leaf upon leaf from the branches.

"Stay where you are…"

Shadow jerked left, spinning around to see a man in black armor emerge from the bushes, a gas mask covering his entire face while the eye sockets glowed an eerie, neon orange.

_Just what I needed…Team Rocket 1__st__ Division Shock Squadron. _

The sound of the respirator filled the air as he flipped an electro-saber hilt into his right hand, igniting it and bringing it down over his shoulder in front of himself. "Shadow."

"I don't have the time to deal with you; I've got to find a friend of mine. Why don't you just fuck off for now?" Shadow retorted as electricity crackled around his body, singing the edges of the bandaged he wore.

"A friend? I wonder if you mean this Raichu I just caught." He responded while grabbing a black Pokéball from a pouch on his side, rolling it in his hand as Shadow growled. "There's no way…"

"I didn't believe it at first, either. Your friend either can't fight, or she was in no mood to resist. She looked pretty sad to me."

Where had he heard the voice before? Certainly somewhere in Team Rocket, but he couldn't exactly put his finger on the person. It sounded flat, almost no emotion fluctuating in his speech.

"You're…!"

Orange from the eye sockets streamed behind the man as he rushed Shadow, bringing the light blue static blade upward in an elegant underhand swing, followed by a spin to bring down the blade where Shadow stood.

Grass fried in Shadow's wake after he leapt back, electricity surging into his paw as he jumped back forward with his paw crackling with it. The electrical blade sliced down to block with a twitch of the man's wrist, followed by an upward swing as Shadow flipped up off the first strike and attacked from above him. Within the moment after he was blocked again, Shadow raised his paws and blasted the soldier back with a powerful burst of electricity that exploded on contact with his black armor.

"Hm, still doing well, I see." The man breathed out, the respirator on his face making his voice muffled as his electrical blade swayed in front of him. Shadow's eyes narrowed, spying the black Pokéball that held Light on the man's belt…

_I've got to grab that ball._

Shadow jumped backwards and landed on his hind legs for just an instant. The next moment, he had left a burst of dirt in the air behind him as he kicked back to launch himself towards his foe.

The Rocket dashed to the side with his saber parallel to his side as Shadow slid to a brief stop on his hind legs before jumping back towards him. Electricity formed a bright yellow blade at his paw as he swung his arm.

The electricity shot out from Shadow's Lightning Blade as it made contact with the soldier's electrical saber again and again. Sparks danced around them as the blades grinded off each other again, this time with the soldier dropping into a sliding kick to trip up Shadow.

"I'm better than that!" Shadow yelled as he jumped to avoid the kick, flipping to slam his fist into the man's chest and using his other paw to reach for the Pokéball containing Light.

The soldier rolled back onto his neck as Shadow swept over, making him miss the ball and instead rip the soldier's helmet off, revealing a bundle of silver hair that seemed to explode out from the back of his head, as if trying to take hold of the its cover.

Shadow snarled in frustration as he tossed the helmet aside in midair and rolled to stop himself. _Damn, almost had it…_

Bracing his hands on the ground to the side of his head, the soldier brought his legs up and bent in his elbows to launch himself off his hands and back onto his feet, spinning around to face Shadow again.

"No use having this on now…" He said as he reached up to his gas mask with his left hand, quickly ripping it off his face and tossing it back, allowing Shadow to see the face beneath, with eyes grayer than concrete, a line for a mouth below that showed no emotion. Long hair framed his light-toned face, having been tucked beneath the helm he had been wearing.

"Tenma…" Shadow said, immediately remembering this man, the one who had sent him on many a mission in Team Rocket. From the demolition mission here he first met Ash and Bolt to the mission where he first met Zero, Tenma was the one who had either given him instruction personally or via com.

And through every one of those, he had that calm, almost bored expression he had now.

"Hmph. Stay still for a moment." He said before raising his electro-saber once again and lunging towards Shadow with a wide cut that Shadow jumped back from. Swinging his Lightning Blade, Shadow met the saber head on, then again and again before he jumped back, the electricity from the blade surging back into his paw, covering it with a film of crooked static. As his feet touched the ground his paw simultaneously shot a wide arc of bluish-yellow electricity like a giant whip.

The silver haired man smiled as he brought up his saber, his free hand upraised behind the blade as he cross it in a blocking stance, a reddish-black aura radiating from his palm…

The saber exploded with the energy as he swung the blade with both hands, cleaving right through the electricity stream. Lunging forward, he brought the supercharged blade past his shoulder as Shadow flushed with alarm under his fur, gritting his teeth as he narrowly dodged the blood red energy sword that set the grass below the blade aflame.

The heat made Shadow's eyes water, so intense that it blackened the edges of the bandages on his chest even without direct contact. Breathing out, Shadow looked ahead to his enemy, first looking to the black and red flame that had engulfed both of the man's hands and his saber, then to the black Pokéball on his belt.

"_We could make this easy and just let me have some fun again." _

_Over my dead body. _

"_Hmph. Soon, that could be arranged, me." _

_And how do you plan to do that, huh?_

"_We'll see…"_

Thin strands of silver whipped around Tenma's face as he drew his weapon back, the sinister aura around it flaring up and warping the air around it with its heat. The darkness of the night that had draped over the sky let Shadow see the whipping, bright scarlet flame dancing amongst the black core.

The blood in Shadow's veins pumped faster as the grass beneath him gave way to the force of his takeoff from where he had stood. In short but rapid bursts, jolts of electricity ripped into the air from his body.

The flaming saber flipped along with its wielder, who slid to avoid the bright cracks surging towards him. He jumped now, then landed on one palm and flipped high once more through the barrage of electricity. Suddenly, his arm and part of his upper chest spasmed as the burning sensation of electricity frying his nerves rocked him.

Even so, he forced his right arm holding his saber diagonal from his torso, cutting in front of himself as Shadow dashed forward. The aura from the blade flared again, leaving behind a wave of its reddish-black fire where it had sliced the air that shot ahead.

(Tch!) Shadow grunted when his shoulder hit the ground, his lightning-bolt tail and his long slender ears tucked against his body as it rolled under the searing wave. Using the inertia of the roll, Shadow extended his paw out to raise himself in the spin and get back onto his feet as the fire wave smashed into the ground behind him and lit it.

He got up on the back of his hind foot and twisted as he jumped up, his right arm again extending his Lightning Blade. Quickly picking himself up from Shadow's previous attack, Tenma slid onto his knee and brought around his saber from behind the right side of his body to slam into Shadow's blade.

(Nngh!)

The heat from the sword, no matter how quickly the weapon slammed onto his and was drawn back, nearly blinded Shadow with its intensity. Again he struck from below, this time with the blade tearing into the grass before him and lighting it up the moment before another collision between their weapons. Excess electricity burst across the blades just as the flames did, giving Tenma quite a shock each time he exchanged blows with the Pikachu.

Shadow smashed his blade into Tenma's once more, using both paws. With a primal roar, Shadow let his electricity loose once more. For a moment, both of their energy weapons went out.

Tenma gritted his teeth, fighting not to lose his breath as he felt Shadow manage to send his right fist crashing into his gut. He wasn't able to see the Pikachu for a moment from his speed of having gotten to him, but in an instant Tenma was able to seize Shadow's left paw as it went for another punch, filled with electricity. The punch was met by Tenma's own, blossoming with his reddish-black aura…

The powers collided and exploded just as their knuckle met each other. The resulting explosion between them caused them to spin away from each other. Shadow slid to a stop and fell onto all fours, breathing loud but calm. Across from him, Tenma reposition his weapon as the fire in the grasses grew and grew to burn into the trees behind and to the sides of Shadow. Sweat stung in the cuts he still had from the last battle he had earlier.

…_Amazing what some of my old 'friends' have been hiding…_

Tenma's saber was raised in front of him, his cold, bored-looking eyes concentrated on Shadow. "It looks like you did deserve that spot as one of Giovanni's favorite agents. I agree with him…you are definitely one of the best we had."

"Exactly, HAD." Shadow responded, "I'm not another one of his tools anymore. I've made my own decision, and that decision was to leave Team Rocket."

"Now, let's skip the subject. Leave."

Tenma's eyebrows raised, his colorless eyes still half-closed. "Strange…you want me to leave, yet…"

"…of course." He said, immediately coming to the real conclusion as his hand touched the spot where Light's Pokéball had been, but found the black sphere gone. Tenma remained calm as Shadow stood up and held up the small black ball, shrunken in the grip of his paw. "You grabbed it when you punched me."

"Yeah. Now get the fuck out of here. Once I let her out of here, I doubt you'll be able to take both of us."

Shadow pressed the button in the center of the black Pokéball, making the sphere expand to release. With a quick move of his digits, Shadow typed in the code to release the Pokémon inside.

Tenma breathed out, glaring as he saw Shadow raise the black ball in front of him, a blue jolt of energy quickly releasing from it that materialized into a Raichu in front of him. She was looking straight at him, small amounts of static discharging from her cheeks. The bright hue of her fur shown brilliantly against the rising flames behind Shadow.

Shadow sighed in relief, looking towards Tenma as he approached Light. He could see her shivering a bit, like she was distressed. (Light, are you okay?)

(…Shadow…) She said softly, turning to face him…

(!)

Shadow jumped back out of reflex, shocked. He backed up a little more, feeling the heat of the flames burning the forest at his back. His eyes were wide with disbelief

_No way…!_

Light's eyes glowed a bright, malevolent red. Black and white electricity jumped across her cheeks, and between those was a wicked smirk. She crossed her arms, chuckling to herself.

(What's wrong, Shadow?) She said, her voice cruel and taunting.

It was her. So very similar looking to his friend, but so very different within.

The Ethereal evil that existed within her, and the very opposite of who she was.

The opposite of Light:

AntiLight.

…

…

…

So now, Shadow is face-to-face with Light's AntiReal! What is she doing here, and where has the real Light gone? Check up later to find out!


	13. Chpt XII: Blackout

Chapter XII: Blackout

October 1, 2061 8:11 p.m.

(Oh Shadow, you disappoint me. How could you not tell me from me?) AntiLight cooed, her stance almost motherly with a soft smile and her paws together in front of her. The one thing that betrayed her true intent was her unnerving, bright red eyes.

Heat rose in Shadow's chest, though he was unsure of whether it was from the flames rising behind him, or from this new revelation. In either case, he looked furious.

(What…Where's Light?)

(I'm right here, DEAR Shadow. Have you gone blind?) She responded, her voice exactly like Light's.

Tenma looked on with a bored but serious expression, the black and red flames consuming his saber dying as he deactivated the weapon. He crossed his arms, smirking ever so slightly. "I didn't think this would be so easy, but then again, you would do anything to protect Light, right? Of course, she was the first to show you any kind of affection at all. The rest of us knew exactly what you were and still are: a freakish weapon born only to kill and destroy."

"Why don't you walk over here and say that again?"

(Poor Shadow. The truth hurts a lot, doesn't it?) AntiLight said, (If you were normal, maybe Light…I…wouldn't be so afraid of you on the inside.)

A short burst of red flashed across Shadow's sclera. (YOU have a lot of reasons to be afraid of me, not her. There is nothing I would do to harm Light, and I getting sick of you and my AntiReal acting like you're me and her!)

(Shadow...why are you so naïve? I thought you've learned by now just how similar you can be to him. When you unleash the inner hate you have, you can be just as bloodthirsty as him, even more so. And you wonder why she's afraid of you.)

The wind picked up around them, swirling the leaves into the air. Tenma's silver hair swished around his face, silent as he heard AntiLight continue on, smirking as if he knew what she was saying. (After all, Shadow. You've almost purposefully killed her twice already. The first time, you had no real reason, after all, WE were just trying to help you. Yet you choked and battered her, and despite her pleas you continued.) She shook her head slowly, crossing her orange-furred arms. (You even threatened to kill her. How could you forget? You even said that you wouldn't forget it.)

Shadow growled, his sharp canines twitching with his jaw, tightened like a vice. Rage began to bubble in him; rage for the fact that she was right.

Now that he knew the truth about Team Rocket…the reasons he had attacked her then were ridiculous. He could still remember her horror-stricken face as he held her up by the throat with both of his paws, the tears rolling down her cheeks as when she cried for him to stop. But no, he continued on and slammed her to the ground. He was just so infuriated; in memory, Shadow was sure the battle before they came back to the Rocket base was the only time he had been any angrier.

_(__Don't you dare even say my name…you're lucky I don't do what Ash could've done to you.)_

Every word he had said to her that night was laced with venom…

_(…__GET OUT OF MY FUCKING SIGHT.)_

…Every word.

AntiLight laughed to herself. (You remember well, don't you, Shadow. Do you remember afterward, when she saw you again? Do you remember that one time you talked to her, the only time you had heard her say anything negative about someone that was supposed to be her friend?)

_(Is there a reason you're being so quiet?)_

_She looked up from where she sat, bloodshot eyes immediately locking onto him. (You.)_

(And I guess you can say that she said that because of me. After all, I am the darkest part of her…)

_(You were the one who attacked your own team, so the punishment you received was justified.) _

_Her eyes were unwavering, radiating a hate for him that seemed so very alien for her. __(Punishment for what, passing out because I was fighting someone even you couldn't beat? I never attacked you or Darrel.)_

Shadow was rapidly reaching his boiling point…

(But, that part of her could've only been released by something so horrible…)

_(How do you still have the gall to lie like that? You know what you __did;__ you couldn't have just forgotten that and replaced it with some memory of you passing out. You're lucky I don't punch a hole through your head right now.) __He turned to walk away from her…_

…_but another, scrutinizing comment reached his ears: __(You don't think of anyone but yourself, do you?)_

(…that YOU caused to happen to her.)

_(I think of this organization, that's what. If you can't handle simple punishment, then you can't be here. What was the punishment anyway?)_

_She spoke softly, tiredly through tears that slowly ran down her face. __(The first machine was used to try to get me to submit to dark energy… the second machine they used on me…they used it to…punish me…__)_

_(…by violating me.)_

(I think that's all the evidence I need there, Shadow. It's just like what so many have thought or said about you over the time you were in Team Rocket. Most, if not ALL of them…believed you were no Pikachu, no real Pokémon even…but a WEAPON…)

Shadow's fists clenched at his sides…

(A FREAK…)

Black static danced across his body, his downturned eyes flashing with shades of red…

(And a MONSTER.)

Dust and hot wind briefly buffeted Tenma's face, his arms unmoving from their position across his chest. The flames from earlier was now lighting up the entire forest around them, leaving almost no place for an escape…

AntiLight's paws shook with Shadow's, grasped tightly together when she blocked them. Behind him the ground was cracked and ripped from where his sudden burst of speed had scarred it. Dark energy whipped in a cyclone at their feet, ripping the grass and soil from the ground. The rapid, spinning energy through winds that were fanning the inferno around them, letting the fires in the trees climb higher into the sky with a mighty roar of burning wood and leaves.

Her bright scarlet eyes were wide, her smile now a line across her face. (You're just like that Bayleef. You're just like that legendary bird fusion. You're just like your AntiReal. Face it, Shadow…any hopes you have of truly being accepted into this world have been dead since the day you awoke in that Team Rocket lab five years ago...)

Despite his furious glare stabbing at the dark Raichu in front of him, he could see several silhouettes breaking against the flames around them, growing in number, and in variety…

Tenma let his arms slowly go back to his sides. Within his view, he could see at least twenty…no, thirty…forty…

Many Ethereals lumbering in from the fire, passing right through the wild and flickering flame.

(You asked me earlier where Light was…well, it goes like this…WE took her.) AntiLight said as the jet-black, slit-eyed creatures descended on them. Some looked like the standard humanoid Ethereal, with no visible mouths and long, knife-like claws protruding from their fingers. Others, on the other hand, looked like dark, mutated versions of some of the local Pokémon in the area.

A group of gray furred Rattata crawled out into view, twitching and growling lowly with their teeth chattering beneath their red eyes. Blood trailed down from raw, open and burned wounds on them, as was the case with a black and red-striped Beedrill who now had black, organic-looking spikes protruding from the left side of its face.

AntiLight leapt back, landing next to a silent, monochrome Pidgeotto who had both of its original wings mangled and broken, replaced by two thin wings with razor-like feathers covered in blood from where it had torn through its skin.

The Ethereals passed right by Tenma as he looked on. The faint smirk on his face grew into a satisfied smile as he turned away from them, walking into the billowing, rumbling fires that made his hair wave erratically in the wind.

…

"Ready up! All of you get off yer asses and waste these fuckers!"

Archer felt another tremor as artillery ripped the fence up from a blue house on the other side of the road. Next to him, a sniper called "Phantom" pulled down a pair of night vision goggles over her red hair and onto her eyes before she raised her sniper rifle over the hedge they were hiding behind and scanned for targets.

"Phantom, get Vixen on the radio and tell her to move up to the blue house's second floor window to give Techno and Wizard some help!" Archer yelled as another shell crashed down in the house behind them, causing them to be briefly pelted by burning wood, broken shards of glass and small, scrunched up pieces of metal. Phantom took her rifle down from the hedge as Archer took her place, looking though his own night vision goggles as Phantom talked into her comlink.

"Vixen, do you copy? This is Phantom, Archer orders you to get into the second floor of the blue house and lay down covering fire for Techno and Wizard, they're pinned down!"

Archer peered through the scope of his gun, again welcoming the crosshairs of his scope to his right eye. Far ahead, he could see the many Team Rocket soldiers running and getting to cover, shooting out from behind concrete barricades and the two torn houses at the intersection of Viridian's main street and a bridge over a creek.

"1,2…3,4,5,6…" Archer counted to himself with each push his rifle gave him from the recoil of his shots. "That's 7, 8, 9, 10. Phantom, gimme some cover, I'm reloadin'!"

Archer dropped down behind the bush while Phantom stood up again and immediately began taking shots. A soft click sounded when the empty magazine fell from Archer's sniper rifle, followed by the thunderous boom of another artillery shell striking the ground. Cursing to himself, Archer forcibly led his bad arm to insert the new clip it held into his rifle. "No fuckin' wound this small is goin' to stop me!"

Static buzzed over his earpiece as lasers lit the sky above. "Rrr, this is KAM-TS Spec Ops Unit 7-Actual, what do ya want?"

"7-Actual, this is General Surge."

"…What can I do fer ya, sir?" Archer said with sudden calm, looking over the hedge with his finger on the earpiece. "7-Actual, be advised, you have enemy aerial combatants targeting your position, expect two low-flying heavy bombers and flight capable Pokémon."

"Gotcha, I'll relay that to the rest of the unit."

"7-Actual, there's more pressing matters as well. We've gotten information of some strange attacks around the city. Teams have spotted large, muscular humanoid creatures that appear to be mutated Rocket members. Be advised, they appear to have a noticeable resistance to pain and are highly unstable. Any provocation will cause them to charge you head-on."

Archer grimaced, cursing to himself.

_Great. Musclebound dumbasses with a temper problem. _

"Do ya suppose bullets will stop 'em?"

"Their bones appear to be almost unbreakable by normal rounds, however a sniper named Sentinel said Anti-Tank rounds should be able to bust them open. This resistance does NOT apply to their meaty parts, got it?"

"Roger, over and out, General." Archer said once more, his hearing once again filled with the sounds of yelling, explosions, and various types of gunfire.

…

The buzz of what sounded like propellers wafted through the forest, high over the spreading flames that licked up into the sky…

The thin, reflective blade submerged in black aura spun with Shadow's body. For a brief moment Shadow felt the resistance to his Iron Tail from the Ethereal's body before it was torn in half.

He landed and slid to catch a mutilated Beedrill's arm before the Ethereal behind him hit the ground. His hind paws swung and smashed into its abdomen before he cartwheeled back into the air and roared, his fists alight with shadowy electricity.

Each and every one of them, from the jet black humanoid Ethereals who shrieked so sharply, to the possessed, battered and cut Pokemon showed no kind of relent, no kind of fear as they slashed at Shadow with long black claws or tried to bite him with what remained of their tattered jaws.

(HRRAH!) Shadow yelled as his paws cracked the ground beneath him and blasted several Ethereals back with an earth-rending shockwave that made the flames that danced around them to retreat back, bowing to the mighty force.

(!) Shadow flipped on his front paws, jumping forward ahead of the dark fiends that seemed to materialize out of nowhere and screech as they dash forward to replace the others that had been thrown back.

And all throughout his struggle with these monsters, AntiLight simply watched from a distance, enjoying every moment of Shadow fighting through more and more of what seemed to be an unlimted force of the creatures. As a demonic Growlithe's bloody and torn corpse was thrown behind her with its guts hanging out from its body, another living corpse ran out with its blood red eyes blank, its natural cry distorted by both the increasing horrors of the conditions of their bodies and the by the influence of Ethereals that had control of them.

(Just keep fighting, Shadow, just keep fighting. You can fight and fight, but sadly, unlike us…you have limits…) AntiLight said to herself, peering at Shadow with her bright red eyes as his Iron Tail ripped into a dark Raticate's chest.

Bones snapped and shattered, fragmenting along with the muscle that was brutally ripped out of the rat like fish being gutted. The sound of another shriek issued into the air as more blood flew from a Pidgeotto's stub of a left wing after it was torn off.

Shadow's tail stopped glowing as he landed and gasped for a small amount of breath, growling to himself as an Ethereal stabbed as him from his left, screaming. As soon as he had sidestepped the first Shadow was forced to jump as another two struck from behind at the same time, their own claws crossing underneath him like a giant pair of scissors.

Dark energy came crashing through their heads from above as Shadow slammed his paws through them both. The edge of his tail came crashing down on a zombified Raticate as he flipped, making it let out an ungodly scream the instant its head was driven through the ground and split in half.

Landing on his feet with multiple Ethereal and Dark Pokémon converging on him, Shadow crossed his arms over his chest. A second later black electricity slashed and left jagged trails in the air around him…

(Dark Shockwave!)

All of the energy around him exploded outward from him, shredding the ground around him and throwing the Ethereal through the air, most screeching before their bodies were vaporized by the combined electrical and dark forces. Most of the possessed Pokémon were launched high into the air, issuing their various, mutated cries before they crashed into the ground.

Just as these had been dispatched, more Ethereals and zombified Pokémon emerged from the burning forest. Shadow got on all fours as they got closer and closer, sparks flying from his cheeks as he was once again surrounded…

(I think that's enough.)

Shadow's ears perked, his eyes glancing around himself as the demons suddenly ceased their advance. Low growls could still be heard coming from the demon Pokémon that were there, amidst the soundless glares given by the humanoid Ethereals.

(*huff*...*huff*...)

(A little too easy for you, Shadow?)

AntiLight walked between the circle of Ethereals and possessed Pokémon, arms crossed while her head bowed ever so slightly with a malicious grin. The bright red of her eyes seemed to fade in with the fires behind her as if they were one with the raging inferno.

The Ethereals and Pokémon silently backed away, forming a wider circle around them to where they all appeared only as silhouettes against the bright orange of the flames in the trees around the small clearing. Some did not retreat, however;

These were some of the Pokémon that now lay lifeless around Shadow, blood pooling around their mangled bodies. Black smoke rose from the tears and rips in their flesh, some twitching violently when the fumes finally stopped flowing from them. At that point, the bodies, one by one, stopped their spasms as the glow in their eyes went out.

(Don't worry though, all of your troubles can only get harder from here on out…for instance, you still don't know where she is. For all you know, she could already be dead.)

(I know she's not dead.) Shadow responded calmly, eyes narrowed on AntiLight like as if he were looking at a bug. (I know for one that you wouldn't be here if she was dead. Don't you dare try to fuck with me…now I want a straight answer: where is Light?)

(How should I know? According to you, I'm not her, so why would I have an idea?)

"_Why would she know where Light is? She's not really her…"_

"…_right, ME?"_

The flame's heat beat down on him, right through Shadow's fur and through the somewhat singed bandages that remained on him. Despite the constant movement of the Ethereals around them, Shadow was solely focused on AntiLight. Breaths still came a little heavily as he studied her for a moment.

Her smile bared her fangs as she saw him lower down into all fours, his tail straight behind him with his ears diagonal from his head. The red of his eyes' shrank as sparks erupted from his cheeks.

(…I'll make you tell me then.)

Mirroring Light's own battling posture, AntiLight fell forward onto her front paws, the electricity crossing over her orange body laced with dark aura. If not for the sheer murderous intent in her eyes, they would've seemed playful. (It'll be just like fighting her, Shadow…except, you have no reason to hold back do you…because no matter what you say, no matter what you think, I am always going to be a part of her…)

(…DEAR Shadow.)

The black electricity flowing around her suddenly flashed white as she and Shadow instantaneously shot towards each other with such force that a shockwave of air and dust ran behind them. Just as their paws locked and their separate energies collided, so did the waves to create a deafening sound like that of a shotgun's blast.

(Rrgh!) Shadow grunted as the energy coming off AntiLight slammed into him and threw him backwards. She grinned and rushed after him as he gritted his teeth and reached over his head with his paw while he was upside down to flip himself onto is hind feet. As his sight returned to level ground he saw her white and black aura blast ahead of her, cutting the ground in two beneath it.

He rolled to avoid the attack, hearing the powerful explosion it made as it hit the burning trees far behind him. Even as spark and flaming tree limbs began to rain down he found himself with AntiLight smirking directly in front of him once more, throwing her balled-up paw towards him. He fell back, throwing his arms out to his sides as a rush of dark energy overtook him. Her paw left behind a gray afterimage the moment he absorbed into the ground as a silhouette.

(How clever of you.) AntiLight said as the black puddle zoomed behind her. Her red eyes flashed as she turned and jumped back as the ground exploded with dark energy. Shadow ascended out from the explosion for a few brief moments along with several chunks of rock and dirt, his eye turning to see AntiLight landing from her jump and immediately throwing her paws together in front of herself.

Her paws began to glow as dark energy combined with light energy in-between them. Her ears flared back along with the grasses beneath her, bending to the gale force winds that surged from the energy swirling between her paws.

(Recognize this?) She said, rearing her paws back past her right shoulder for a second before bringing them back ahead of her, outstretched towards where Shadow was about to land. (_Hakumei Taihou!)_

A bright flash lit up her paws before a gleaming silver ray exploded with a massive shockwave from her paws. Wide-eyed, Shadow put his electrified paws out in front of him, hearing her twisted laughter flood his ears along with the roar of the beam and the raging fires in the forest.

(Thunder Shield!)

The electricity burst out from his paws and made a transparent static sphere around him the very moment the silvery-dark laser exploded in his face. The shriek of the energy colliding and diffusing across the shield was ear-splitting, like the sound of a bolt of lightning crashing forever.

(Rrrgh…Gghh…!)

His arms felt like they had been lit on fire along with the rest of the forest. He could feel the earth beneath him giving way, the soil slipping out from under his feet and blowing into the ray behind him. The dome he had formed was shivering and coursing with his electricity, damaged and repaired each second that the beam ripped into it…

(Very good, my dear Shadow.)

The silver that had formed around him flashed, screeching of the energy colliding with his shield becoming even louder. His ears folded against his head as his arms went numb. That moment the electricity protecting him gave way to the beam's assault like a bullet shattering glass.

At first he felt the sensation of frostbite and flames roar across his body, then a push-pull that formed in his head like something was trying to rip his skull in half. At last, he felt wind surging across his back as he went flying back with the beam into the fires of the forest.

AntiLight sighed as she lowered her paws, a glare on her face as she shook her head. (It looks like it wasn't good enough…)

Sparks flew out of the tangled mess of trees opposite her like a swarm of orange fireflies. Many of the Ethereal that had been at the sides of the clearing began to converge slowly towards the spot, their clawed black hands dangling to their sides…

(Over here, you bitch!)

AntiLight spun around just in time to see Shadow smash a powerful Iron Tail into her chest, followed by a rain of sparks from where he had blasted out from the fires behind her.

Her teeth grinded together for a brief moment before a smile returned to her face as she flipped back onto her feet and dodged another quick slash of Shadow's tail, followed quickly a Thunder Punch.

Electricity trailed off into the air behind him as he slid forward to trip her with one of his hind legs. AntiLight jumped over and past him, spinning on her front paw as she landed. Her tail whipped around and collided with his own tail twice before she leapt back onto her feet and rushed him.

(Having fun yet, friend?) She laughed, her paws rapidly colliding with Shadow's arms when he blocked and vice-versa. Small, black waves rippled from where both of their fists hit the other.

Shadow sidestepped and spun, swinging his left paw around with his electricity quickly forming a small electrical blade at the tips of his digits.

She lunged forward and grabbed his arm, spinning and throwing his arm over her shoulder. With a quick jolt of her body, AntiLight flipped Shadow off his feet threw him towards the ground in front of herself.

_Damn it!_ Shadow thought to himself as dark energy rushed over him. When he made contact with the ground he went right through it, forming a black silhouette against the ground.

(Quick thinking.) AntiLight spoke hurriedly as she jumped back the moment Shadow exploded out from the ground once more. The dark energy that came up along with him stayed with him as he focused it into his paws with a growl. Landing, he threw his arm back past his shoulder. (Shadow Flare!)

Black aura exploded from his arm, sweeping through the air like a fiery black shockwave. AntiLight stood firm, throwing her own paw back She laughed as she yelled: (Twilight Burst!)

Silver exploded against the fiery black wave, sending a powerful explosion out towards them as they both rushed in towards each other, their faces showing totally different emotion, from the focus and determination gleaming through Shadow's eyes to the bloodcurdling sight of AntiLight's bright red eyes and smile…

…

A strange buzzing sounded through the air from above. Pausing from shooting, Archer looked up towards the sky, his face going pale as he spotted the near-invisible silhouettes of two twin-engine bombers flying in from the north. "Incomin', get down!"

Just when his head hit the ground, explosions began to light up the area in a jagged line, punctuated each second by another group of explosions and the terrified yells of men from both armies. Archer held his rifle to the back of his head, feeling a chunk of rock thump off the side of his scope. Even with his face to the ground, he could see the flashing of numerous explosions ripping through the street.

The scent of smoke filled his nostrils as he lifted his face up, looking over towards Phantom on the ground next to him. "Phantom, you okay?"

Phantom took her rifle off from atop her head, shaking her head out. "I've felt better, old man." She spoke, a smirk crossing her face.

"Ya know what? You can be one hell of a bitch sometimes, whether yer transformed or not, ya little Zorua." Archer griped, pushing himself up to survey the battlefield now. Shadows of soldiers ran across fires on both sides of the street and on the street, some dragging away wounded comrades or limping out of the renewed crossfire. "C'mon, let's go."

Dust hung in the air like fog. Archer coughed as he slid next to the roof of a partially collapsed house, his transformed Zorua partner following him and kneeling at his side. His bandaged left hand went to his radio, his right on the trigger of his rifle. "Techno, what's your status, over?"

"This is Techno, Wizard is down, I repeat, Wizard is down! Those bombs knocked him clean through a car's door. He's breathing, but bleeding pretty heavily, and I'm pretty sure some of those flying types have night vision!"

"Roger that…Sentinel, do you copy, how things on your end?"

The radio buzzed at his ear for a moment before Sentinel's voice came through. "The trainer's school is under heavy fire from targets at the southern bridge of the main road, we have at least two Titans down and another one in the distan-."

Archer could hear an explosion go off in the background. "Sentinel, ya still there? What the fuck was that?"

The radio buzzed for a few more moments before Sentinel's voice came through again. "I don't know, it looks like one of the rooms at the trainer's school just exploded. I think one of the electric types in there went rampant, I'm seeing some static trailing into the air with the smoke; it's too dark to really tell for sure. Listen, I'll have to get back to you later, sir!"

Archer nudged Phantom and signaled for him to move closer to a bashed pickup that had been turned on its side in the middle of the house's driveway with a Skitty shivering under its side, eyes wide and claws extended. "Yeah, roger. Keep yer head down, ya got that boy?"

"Over and out, sir!"

…

"…Wha…"

"…What…?"

Droplets of blood trailed down Xepher's face and stained his glasses. Random sparks burst from the wiring of a crumpled MRI machine by the bed he had just been standing at. He himself had been thrown into a sitting position with his back to a wall, with another doctor next to him with spurts of blood pouring from where his arms had once been attached to his shoulders and three small holes punched into his skull. A rectangular ceiling light buzzed as it hung down from one end overhead, flashing between dim and bright to illuminate the room.

Two others behind the cart looked almost like they had gone through a giant cheese grater. The one doctor who was still standing was right next to the table, arms out to his sides and shaking. What sounded like gags escaped his mouth before a slicing sound came to Xepher's ears before the black haired doctor fell backwards. As he hit the ground, his head rolled from his body, revealing a very clean cut through his blood-gushing neck.

"Well Xepher…"

Xepher looked up to the small Pokemon on the table, seeing but disbelieving. Its right paw lowered back to its side from where it had been parallel, coated in blood. It's piercing, bright green eyes were even sharper than the 3-inch, knife-like claws that were extended from its paws. It wore green-lined, fuzzy black gloves with a stylized green 'R' on each. Instead of the cocky smile Xepher had remembered him with, the Pichu instead wore a frown.

Zero let a small smirk cross his face, which instantly disappeared as he spoke again. "…I'll cut right to the issue. Where's Shadow?"

…

…

It looks like…HEY! What are you doing-OW!

Zero: Guess who's back.

…

_Hakumei Taihou_-Japanese, "Twilight Cannon"


	14. Chpt XIII: Naught's Return

Chapter XIII: Naught's Return

October 1, 2061 11:50 p.m.

"What happened…?"

Misty limped through the rows of beds, her face pale with shock at the sights before her. The gunfire outside was the dominant sound, and the shake of several objects in the room seemed normal, now that she was used to the shelling. However, the scent was that of blood in puddles on the floor and sprayed on the walls.

She could feel her heart beating, stepping over a headless patient's corpse splayed over the wide-eyed body of a Sandslash whose chest was split open in an 'X', tendons hanging out and covered in recently dried blood. Another body on top of a bed had been sliced in half from the middle of his torso, taking off his hands as well.

Sparks bounced off the floor near a smashed desktop computer, with a blonde woman's head lying sideways with her neck cut out. The blood that had been running from her neck had seeped across the surface of the desk to land in the unmoving eye of a dead Nidorina underneath. Looking away, Misty only met the sight of more corpses, all with some sort of slash through them.

A weak whimper crossed her ears from one of the beds further ahead. Her breaths rushing, Misty ran to the sound and nearly slid in pooled blood next to the bed where Sollus was lying, red eyes wide. Somehow, even thought the beds next to her also contained dead Pokémon, whoever had come in and killed seemingly all but the two of them, she had been left nearly unharmed. The only difference for her that Misty could see was her quaking body and the blood splattered across her fur from the Pokémon in the bed next to hers.

Misty walked around the bed to the side that the Umbreon was facing, carefully wiping away some of the blood from her muzzle. "Sollus…what happened?"

(*gasp*!) Misty quickly turned towards the broken door that led out to the main hallway. A sound liking metal scraping together was being made somewhere outside the room. Looking back to the Umbreon, Misty petted her softly on the head before turning and limping towards the door, her wounds from the earlier battle still stinging…

…

Electricity shot up into the shadowy clouds above. A rumble rolled through the sky, followed by a bright flash as a massive bolt of lightning instantly ripped through the trees and obliterated the ground in front of Ash, tearing a group of screaming Ethereals to shreds that quickly dissolved into a purplish-black smoke.

The Pikachu's thunderbolt-shaped tail lit up like a star, leaving an arc in the air as he twisted and slashed his way through the crowd of Ethereals, jumping from one to the other. He heard only a pained scream from them as he swept through, slashing and dicing through the dark beings before stopping with a massive charge of electricity visible all over his body. (Shockwave!)

The Master let his aura loose all over his right hand to catch an Ethereal just as its long, thin black claws sliced into the air towards him, simultaneously slamming his other hand into its chest. Its scream razed the air when a flash of light burst from where Ash's hand was, exploding outward into a beam that cut into many Ethereals and zombie-like Pokémon behind it.

Catching his breath, Ash jumped high as Bolt's Shockwave ripped into the air under him. Sounds of all kinds ranging from the shredding of tree bark to the Ethereal's screeches filled the air as the electricity lit up the nighttime forest.

Static continued to crawl over the ground as Ash landed from his jump, immediately leaping backward and sliding to a stop behind Bolt, looking all around himself. A rustle went out from the bushes…

Ash let out an annoyed grunt, his eyes narrowing as his eyes lit up with His aura, allowing himself to see several more figures with the same sinister aura approaching them.

Lowering himself back onto all fours, Bolt cursed to himself as another horde rushed forward out of the shadows of the trees, screeching horrifically. (Damn it, this is crazy! There's got to be an army of them out here!) Bolt yelled to Ash as he jumped back and let massive bursts of electricity blast out from his paws like individual cracks of lightning.

"I know, where are they coming from? For one thing we have to do all we can to keep them from getting into the city!"

…

"…_Very *cough!* good…now all we have to*cough!*…mmph, do is get her over there…*cough! Cough!*…too bad my condition is deteriorating*cough!*…so rapidly…Now, if I could get the translator on, if you will, Tenma."_

"_Of course, Dr. Namba."_

_ZZZZZZZZZTTTT!_

"_Electrical attacks won't work on that…Light."_

_(Namba! Let me out of here!)_

"_I'm afraid*cough!* that I cannot do that. You see, I am planning something VERY special for this*cough! Cough!*world, and you…are the main tool in building this little surprise. Have you heard of…*cough!*…a certain item, from a time long ago…a weapon known to the people of, say, fifteen hundred years ago…_

… _as 'Death's Hand'?"_

_(What? You're insane! I myself have no idea what kind of power that has, but I can freely say that you would have no idea how to use it, either!)_

"_*cough!* Exactly, my pretty little Raichu. *cough!*…no living creature, human or Pokémon, knows what power it has. Of course, as is my profession, it is my *cough!* duty to experiment. You…you are going to be the crucial element of this little equation to obtain that power."_

_(What makes you think I'd help you at all?)_

"_*cough!* ah yes, the part about you refusing to cooperate. I'm very well*cough! Cough!*…prepared for that, and I'm actually quite eager to persuade you to help me. In the end, you will do just that, whether you want to or not, whether you're still sane or not. I'll just tell you now…first, we just do what we had done to you before, when you were being…*cough!* punished for attacking your own team."_

_(Wha…what?)_

"_What do you mean, what? I'm sure…*cough!* you remember that little experience quite…*cough!* vividly. You were barely able to even squeek your little heart out after I was done with you. I got to see the ECLIPSE generator activated once more, I got to study its effects on one such on yourself…and I got to see some very…*cough!* EXCITING entertainment. Your resistance to its effects have given me enough reason to believe that you are one of enough…'purity' to summon the weapon."_

_(If Xepher was able to outdo you with Shadow over Zero, he'll be able to outdo you here as well! Shadow, Xepher and everyone else will ruin you!)_

"_Aha, that's what I'm hoping for: Shadow would be the perfect as the other half needed to summon this. If not him, I*cough!*…already have enough EtheTechs to fill the gap. In the meantime…you are going to experience exactly what I made you experience then, except now I have no reason to use the ECLIPSE generator on you. Thus…_

…_you will experience only the more nightmarish part, and in my opinion, the most entertaining part. Don't look so horrified now*cough!* …you'll be used to it by time that machine is through with you, and I guarantee that you are going to scream like you never have before."_

…

(Catch me if you can, Shadow!)

AntiLight landed and instantly rebounded off the side of a tree the moment before Shadow splintered it with his Thunderbolt. She launched towards another, swinging up its limbs and launching herself in the air, with the Pikachu coming up right after her.

Black static-filled flame ruptured the space between them, bursting into the air like fireworks. AntiLight waved her glowing paws back, white and black energy fusing within them before slamming both paws together while yelling, (Nil Wave!).

Shadow dashed over the tops of the trees, past his own attack as it was split by the large silver energy wave, and drew his paw back as he smashed his hind paws into the trees to launch himself upward.

Once again an electrical blade formed at his paw. Stretching himself out, he rapidly spun towards her like a gigantic electrical buzz saw, his Iron Tail and Lightning Blade whizzing in the air.

The electricity exploded onto a transparent black field in front of him. His body twisted with the inertia and slammed his tail into it too, making the field ripple as AntiLight smirked behind it, her paws raised up at it.

She twisted her paws over her and released the shield to kick both of her hind paws into Shadow's face.

(Augh!)

Branches snapped and were flung out of the way as Shadow plummeted to the forest floor, crying out as he happened to land in a thorn bush. The tiny needles ripped several tiny cuts across his back and on his sides, like he had just fallen into a pile of razor blades.

Looking up, his eyes narrowed at the sight of AntiLight standing on one of the branches over him, smiling sweetly. (Are you okay, my DEAR Shadow? I wouldn't want you to get hurt…)

(SHUT THE FUCK UP!) He yelled, thrusting his arms out as he exploded with dark energy, obliterating the bush he had landed on and ripping the bark from several trees around him. AntiLight raised her arm over her face, meeting a barrage of wooden shrapnel from below. Peering over her fur, her eyes widened as Shadow was suddenly right in front of her, his paws overflowing with black static.

Her gut practically imploded from the force of his punch, exploding with electricity. Eyes wide, she continued to register that Shadow was in front of her for an instant before she was sent soaring into the air, in the direction of a strange lightning storm near the warzone that was Viridian. Spiraling through the air, the glance she got of Shadow jumping ferociously from tree to tree behind her made a smile cross her face once again.

…

_["Xepher…*cough!*…damn you…"_

"_Sir, are you feeling alright?" "Of course I'm not*cough!*feeling alright, you imbecile! I've been stabbed*cough! Cough!*multiple times, and now I'm stuck on*cough!*life support for multiple lung wounds and loss of blood!"_

"…_my apologies, sir…anyway, Zero was dispatched by Shadow sometime after you were when he escaped. He's barely still alive, sir."_

"…_Marvelous…simply marvelous. Not only am I*cough! Cough!* slowly but surely*cough!*dying, but one of my best projects is beaten by his…"_

"…_No matter. He IS still alive,*cough!*…correct?"_

"_Yes sir."_

"…_Very well…this is*cough!*…"_

"_The perfect opportunity…to fire up the ECLIPSE generator once again…"]_

…

"…How are you…?"

Zero glared at Xepher, his claws receding back into his paws. The doctor noticed an almost sleep-deprived look in the Pichu's eyes, like he was going to drop unconscious that very moment. "Alive? You know what, Xepher? With what Namba's done to me-URK!"

Zero's eyes flashed a bright green as he cried out, covering his face with his gloved paws. The blood ran cold in Xepher's veins as he saw a purplish-black aura rise around Zero. From between the digits of Zero's paws, Xepher could see his eyes just barely open, glowing a ghostly bright green.

Tremors ran through his body, intensified by the Pichu's cries. A sound like a knife ripping from a sheath sounded, and then Xepher saw Zero's claws extended once again, this time with a dark aura that formed itself into extended claws over his. Zero breathed heavily, arms shaking as he lowered them to his sides. The dark aura that had surrounded him slowly disappeared into nothingness. Looking up at Xepher, the bright green that had completely covered his eyes receded back into his irises.

Still shaking, Zero stood there silently, eyes wide and breathing in deeply. Lowering his head, his claws once again sheathed back into his paws. Sweat matted his body fur, allowing the short sparks that emanated from his cheeks to run over himself. The sound of lasers and explosions outside the building returned…

"…I know you don't like me, and I can tell you that I don't like you either…but…"

He sighed, gritting his teeth under his lips. "Look, I just want to…" Zero trailed off, a twitch running up his arm. "…talk to Shadow…where is he?"

The light reflecting from the dimming light that hung lopsided overhead managed to hide the contraction of Xepher's eyes. Beats of his own heart could be felt thumping against his throat. Beneath his glasses his eyes diverted from Zero to his dead colleagues' bodies on thr ground, bathing in their own pools of blood.

Zero disappeared from the top of the table, suddenly standing on Xepher's lap while he pulled his face down towards him with the claws in his other paw just barely extending under his neck. "ANSWER ME!"

"I really don't know where the hell he is, got it?" Xepher yelled, braving the feeling of the needle-like tips of Zero's claws against his neck. "And let me guess…you want to know where Light is, too?"

"Hmph…I know where she is…" He said, bringing his arm back from Zero's neck as his paw began to shake. Gritting his teeth, he balled up his paws, letting his slightly extended claws cut into the fabric of his gloves. "That's one of the main reasons I'm…here…"

He stumbled back to the ground in front of Xepher, cursing to himself as the pain once again lit through his head. The eerie glow of his eyes returned, flashing over the normal state of his eyes as he covered his face. With a slight groan, Zero lowered his paws, showing beads of water just barely forming at the corners of his eyes.

"…I…I need your help..."

…

"DIE! ALL MUST DIE!"

"Git the hell outta my sight, jackass…" Archer whispered as he lined up a shot at a Titan that was barreling down on them, eyes glowing bright orange with a feral laughter. Its eyes widened as the report of two sniper rifles boomed into the air. Blood splattered onto the ground behind it from a gaping hole that was torn into its chest where its heart would be.

"Hm. These 'Titans' ain't so tough against hot lead." " Of course not, old man. Who is?"

Archer turned his head slowly to face Phantom, who snickered to herself as she aimed and blew a grunt's head clean off his shoulders. "Yer helpful, but yer a bitch, Zorua. Cut the crap an' shoot."

"Hehe…Gotcha, old…" She trailed off as she looked out from behind the overturned car they were hidden behind, her jaw dropping. Archer gave her an odd look and waved his dusty, wrinkled hand in front of her face. "Hello? Ya still with me? What're ya lookin' at that's so…"

His radio buzzed to life with Vixen's voice booming through. "Archer, are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

He pressed his radio, noticing Phantom's face going pale. "What is it? Phantom here is freakin' out about somethin' too."

"Well…sir, you should take a look down the road."

The old sniper sighed and half-heartedly but carefully looked out from behind their cover. At first, all he saw was the gigantic dead body of the Titan they had just killed and a couple Rocket running for cover, yelling about something…

"Wait a sec…no one's firing…" Archer noted, about to push the button on his radio to scold his squad before he saw one of the Rockets running directly into the middle of the street, screaming his head off. Lifting his night vision goggles off his eyes and squinting, Archer noticed a dark figure running after the man, with slit-like red eyes.

"AAAAHH! AAAAAAAH!"

Archer's brow lifted, his moustache shifting over his mouth. "…Don't see that every day."

Two sets of three black knife-like talons punched through the man's back, making him release that gut-wrenching scream before the claws tore outwards. Blood rained down on the ground with the smooth, moist muscle the wrenched out of his abdomen. Before he could drop, the demon screeched and brutally sliced into the side of his skull from behind, letting copious amounts of blood dye his paling face crimson while it ran down.

Archer swept across the Rocket's end of the battlefield and, to his surprise, found many of the same…THINGS…delivering just as much death to the others as this one he had observed had done. Everything from bones to intestines to hearts were being ripped out of their bodies or torn into bloody pulps. A lone Kirlia ran out from the quivering shadows near a fire with tears running down her shocked face while a group of tattered and bloody Pokémon ran close behind, smiling eerily with eyes of bright red.

"Tango Sierra Charlie, we have a bit of a situation…"

Archer abruptly silenced as he heard a chatter of other radio messages crossing through his line, all frantic in nature. He could hear lasers firing in the backgrounds of radios, he could hear men being cutting off from their words and screaming before their line cut out.

General Surge's voice boomed through the chaos: "Attention all units, this is General Surge, commence evacuation order Bravo, I repeat, evacuation order Bravo, soldiers get the hell out of there!"

…

Dark energy smashed and crack trees in half, allowing their great plumes of green to plummet to the ground. The Raichu smirked as she looked to the burning city, noticing the silhouettes attacking many a group of people from the top of a larger tree.

"I'm not through with you yet!"

"And I'm certainly not done with you, Shadow!" AntiLight chimed before she jumped back off the tree a fraction of a second before the tree was split down its center by a powerful, vicious bolt of lightning. She landed on one paw and swung her tail at Shadow.

His reflexes did not fail him. Sidestepping the 'blade' of her tail, he grabbed the wire-like portion of it next to the thunderbolt shape and pulled with all his might. He let go just as he was facing a tree about ten yards from where he stood, allowing AntiLight to hurtle into a tree. A creaking, then snapping sound vibrated the air upon contact as the top of the tree toppled over on top of her.

"*sigh*…!" Shadow quickly raised his paws and stood firm against a torrent of black electricity that exploded from the bushels of leaves on the fallen tree. Rampant dark bolts defusing around him burned gigantic gashes into the earth and tore into the foliage around him. Bits of soil fired through the air, popping up from the electrocuted cuts in the ground like bits of popcorn.

The moment the electricity stopped, AntiLight burst out from the leaves and twisted around to slash at Shadow with her tail once more. Dodging, Shadow grunted as he caught her left paw when she went in to punch, then was forced to let go as she sailed in with her right, full of grayish-silver energy.

She swung right paw back and opened it. Before he knew it, Shadow was thrown back as the energy exploded and produced a powerful shockwave from her paw. Growling viciously, Shadow ground his teeth together as he slammed his hind paws into the ground and launched himself back at her, both of his paws together over his head with a sphere of black electricity concentrating between them. The ground beneath them shook when he slammed the sphere down into the ground where AntiLight had been standing before she dodged, sending wild cracks throughout the ground in the wake of the substantial shockwave it produced. Waves of darkness rushed in towards the point of impact from the surrounding area, creating a short, rippling of the air around Shadow before a much more powerful explosion ripped up entire slabs of earth from the ground and uprooted trees that were caught in the blast. It was like a behemoth black ball was rapidly inflating around him, crushing and tearing up all in its path.

AntiLight lifted her arms and grunted as the waves battered her, tearing the trees into the air around her and spraying soil all over her fur. Even so, as she was bruised and cut by shards of rock and tree limbs, she held a sinister smile.

_Dear Shadow…_

_You ARE slowly becoming one of us._

...

"Whaddaya mean there's no available birds in the air?" Archer yelled over the screams in the distance, looking back to see the other members of his squad running along with him. The radio buzzed as a Kanto army soldier nearby was decapitated by an Ethereal. "All lines are tied up right now! We're getting reports that this is happening all over Kanto and Johto, and maybe even Hoenn and Sinnoh! We haven't heard from anywhere else yet, but as far as we can tell, these things are probably popping up all over the world!"

"Does anyone have a clue as to how we can do SOMETHIN' to these bastards? As far as I can see, lasers and bullets aren't affectin' 'em very much!" He continued on, clenching an eye as the sound of a mammoth explosion echoed by. "Hold on a sec…Archer, listen up! Do you have a Pokémon capable of using dark type attacks with you?"

"Yessir!" Archer yelled, waving backwards to tell his team to hurry up. "KAM-TS Spec Ops Unit 7 Team 2 reports that dark type attacks are effective against these things. They're approaching the Trainer's School right now to pick up an HVI."

"HVI?" He yelled, spotting a Rocket on the corner of and intersection near the burnt shell of a collapsed bell tower attempting to hotwire a jeep while his Skarmory flew up and down, using Night Slash repeatedly to fend off several Ethereals at once.

"Dr. Xepher, his research is vital to reversing the effects of EtheTech transformations of Pokémon."

"Roger, we'll be there soon then." He said, taking his finger off the radio as the jeep the rocket was working on revved up.

"Retu-!" Was all the grunt managed to get out before chunks of his head splattered onto the jeep's back door, followed by another sound like fruit being crushed as the Skarmory fell out of the air, eyes stuck in a state of shock as blood gushed out from a hole between its eyes.

"Everyone, git in! Zorua, change back and give us a little cover, will ya?"

…

"You?" Misty gasped as she saw the Pichu standing just a few feet away from Xepher, claws only halfway extended. His eyes flashed green for a moment, narrowing his eyes at her. "Listen…I've beaten you once, you've beaten me once. I have nothing against you or your 'Vee friends now, so don't make me have to take your head off, got it?" He said, raising his claws toward her as a warning. "I'm quicker than I was before. I'm sure you can attest to that. Now…"

He faced Xepher once more. "So you don't know where he is, then…fine. I'll find him somewhere around here. Meanwhile, you…"

His ears twitched as Misty turned around to the sound of screams outside the building. Shots went off somewhere in the darkness as Misty rushed outside the door to a window in the hall. Hands on the glass, she focused towards the flames burning through the streets to find some source of the sounds.

"What are…" She started, trailing off and going mute as a group of humanoid shadows ran across the street. As one fell, three other creatures, with long, black claws swooped in on it. She could see the figure struggling on the ground crying out as the creatures slashed at him on the ground and screeched. Soon one of them plunged its entire claw through where his neck head would be, swiping at his neck with its other claw and lifting the disembodied head into the air, screeching once more.

She backed away from the window and covered her mouth, eyebrows creased downward. "Those aren't Pokémon…" "Fuck, they're here already!" Zero yelled angrily as he jumped up to the window, extending his claws. The sound of jet engines flaring roared through their ears before he looked up through the glass to see the sleek, black metal nose of a burning MiG-117 spiraling down to the road like a meteor. As the nose penetrated the road the rest of the jet split from the cockpit and tossed wildly, out of and into the air in a crazed, fiery roll that sent it hurtling right at where Misty and Zero were watching…

…and just as the back of the jet was two seconds from impact, the silhouettes of a Pikachu dashing after a Raichu appeared before them, the Raichu with bright red eyes and the Pikachu with a tuft of fur over his right eye.

Misty slid across the floor and into the room where Xepher was just getting up as the building shuddered, licks of flame and plumes of smoke spurting out from the doorway along with chunks and shards of concrete, wood and metal. The doctor stumbled back from the door, his glasses hanging off his ears and against his sweaty chin. Quickly regaining his composure and pushing his glasses back up to his eyes, Xepher rushed to Misty and helped her up. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine…wait…" She paused, her eyes suddenly widening. "Sollus! Novus! They were in the room!"

"There you are, Shadow." Zero said to himself with a noticeable edge in his voice from the other side of the wreckage, stepping out onto the grass through the mammoth hole the crash had made in the wall. Getting on all fours, his eyes once again flashed green before the grass under him tore out by their root from the incredible burst of speed he made, pursuing Shadow like a bullet.

An Ethereal screeched as Shadow's paw ripped through it with a flurry of dark energy, followed by another as he spun with a nearly jet-black Iron Tail. Ahead of him, AntiLight smirked as she jumped over an army jeep that was speeding down the chaotic street, grabbing onto the head of the woman at the turret gun and slamming it backward, snapping her neck in one swift motion as she flew over. Shadow could hear an older man in the driver's seat of the jeep swearing with a twang in his accent, rushing by while swiftly uppercutting another Ethereal with his blackened paw.

All hell had broken loose; as far as he could see, Ethereals were everywhere, attacking both human and Pokémon. Screams echoed out here and there from within the smoke, pouring through the burning and crumbling buildings. Somewhere above a helicopter buzzed over, firing lasers at the creatures behind him.

(!) Shadow saw her suddenly jump and turn in the air with her glowing black and white paws out towards him, laughing as the energies quickly formed into one and shot out towards him. Shrapnel from the road burst across his view and against his dirty yellow fur, a grayish flash bursting at the lower right side of his vision after he dodged and sped up his pace.

_Where is she…_

_WHERE?_

(Well, well. I think we have company, Shadow!) She laughed as she landed and continued onward, jumping up and launching lightning strikes from her paws, crossing one another in shades of black and white around Shadow. Evading a burst, he noticed a yellow blur flash past him. A moment later, a wave of sound like the buzzing of something revolving at high speed hit his ears. He watched the thing for another moment, noticing it slow down until he could see a Pichu's face looking at him with bright green eyes, almost glaring.

_Who…_

…_no way…_

AntiLight jumped down a small downward ramp flanked by short walls and into a large marble courtyard, pocked with blackened holes from where lasers had hit before. A water fountain in the middle sprayed water from a busted pipe in a half-shattered pedestal that had the body of a Lugia figurine at the top, missing its head.

AntiLight turned and slid to a stop by the fountain as Shadow leapt down the stone ramp and stopped as well, static bursting from his cheeks. At the same time, claws sprung from the Pichu's paws as he slid backwards against the marble, grinding thin grooves into the stone beneath him with his claws before he too came to a stop.

They stood there silently as the war-torn city around then continued to sound off with the noises of screaming, gunfire and explosions. Whether AntiLight was looking at him or zero, Shadow was uncertain, but he could certainly tell that Zero was giving him a hard stare.

(…Shadow.) (…Zero.)

(It looks like everyone's here.) AntiLight said, glaring towards Shadow before she looked towards the Pichu and chuckled to herself. (Aw, even the little boy is here. I saw that the good doctor Namba gave you quite the 'gift'.)

His claws made a swishing sound as he swung them to point at her, a growl coming from deep in his throat. (I'm no little kid, got that? Do you think a kid would still have his sanity after what I've been through?)

She shifted her shoulders, sighing. (That's just it. You're no child…you're a freak, just like Shadow. Even more so. For one, I've never seen a Pichu that had claws like yours until now. Then again, you were made exactly to your creator's design, weren't you?)

(Wanna see what these claws can do, then? I'll be happy to shred you!) Zero yelled back while crossing his claws together in front of himself, showering sparks before they went out to his sides with his arms, one overhand above his head and the other underhand in front of his waist.

(So you want to fight me then? I'm a little occupied with Shadow at the moment, so I have no time to play with you. How about you fight Shadow instead?) She laughed, turning back to Shadow. (After all, you're the reason he's cursed like you now, right?)

(…True…) He said, locking eyes with Shadow.

What other reason would he be here now, if Shadow hadn't nearly killed him, only for Namba to bring him back from the brink of oblivion? In a way, knowing what he had to live with now, he almost would've preferred dying then.

(…Not interested. I need him for something later. Tough luck.)

(What would that be, exactly?) Shadow said as he began to charge electricity into his paws. Zero felt a twitch cross his body again, forcing him to close one of his eyes and visibly wince as his entire open eye flashed bright, ghastly green. Shadow froze and looked to Zero, gasping a little as he saw Zero's eyes continue to flash. For a moment, Shadow could've sworn his claws had, for an instant, turned metallic.

(Why fight it? Eventually you're going to lose it, like Shadow did to you then…) AntiLight spoke once more, looking behind herself with those bright, luminescent red eyes. (Hmm…I suppose there is a way you can get back at Shadow, in a way…)

Behind her, a blackish spot near a small crater fluctuated against the ground before it shot forward and expanded out until it made one, massive expansion that made it blast out black sparks in the midst of another Pikachu bounding right out from it. As the shadow on the ground disappeared, the Pikachu who stood there now gazed directly at Shadow with bright red eyes like AntiLight's, smirking with his arms crossed.

(Miss me, me?) AntiShadow said, drawing a growl from Shadow. (Did I give you enough excitement earlier against the bird fusion?)

(What the hell do you think?) Shadow called back as AntiShadow looked towards Zero. (And you…I remember you. I remember punching you through three feet of concrete and leaving you for dead. Did Namba work on you, too?)

Besides looking frustrated, Zero looked somewhat confused, looking from the real Shadow to his AntiReal counterpart. (Let me guess; you're another one of those thing like whatever she is?)

(You could say that…kid. You said you wanted a fight, and since my friend here is busy with him, I'm all for fighting you.) He replied while getting on all fours, snickering. (You won't cry when I do the same thing he did to you before…right?)

(Zero…) Shadow said. Facing him again, Zero saw Shadow motion towards the AntiReals in front of them with a dead serious expression. In reply, Zero simply raised his right arm over his head again with the blades of his claws pointed towards them. (I'll take…you. You go after that bitch there.)

(That's what I was hoping for.)

…

"James, ya there, boy?"

"Um…who is this?"

"What do ya mean, who the hell is this? It's yer Uncle Vincent Leeroy Jenkins, dammit! You should know what I sound like by now! Anyhow, get ready to land that helicopter of yers. Yer gonna be takin' Sentinel's group out of here along with Xepher."

"Oh, okay…wait, what about you and your team?"

"…You've got a magnetic winch on the helicopter, right? Do ya think it can lift an army jeep with five people in it?"

…

…

And now the fun can begin. Ethereals are overrunning Kanto and several other countries, Light's the captive of Dr. Namba, and Zero's officially back. Until next time!


	15. Chpt XIV: Enter the Darkness

Chapter XIV: Enter the Darkness

October 2, 2061 2:20 a.m.

"_This is KAM-TS Spec Ops Unit 7-Actual, 7 Team 2 Actual, do ya read me?" _

_*static*_

"_Roger, Team 2 Actual reads you, do you have any idea what the hell is going on here?"_

_*static* _

"_Sentinel, I dunno where these fuckers came from or what they are! Are ya almost to the Trainer's School so James can get us all outta here? Just so ya know, your Umbreon's fine, she's out here helpin' my Zorua take these damn things down with what little she can do with her injuries." _

_*static*_

"_Yeah, we're almost there, give us a minute, we're just down the road and I can see the helicopter!"_

_*static*_

"_Say, did ya get yer 1911 back from Jenny? That's one piece a history ya don't wanna lose, boy." _

_*static*_

"_Yeah...about that, it looked like one of these creatures had sliced her stomach open…Say, I heard that these things are swarming all over Kanto, is that true?"_

_*static*_

"_As far as I know, boy, they're in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and we're just getting' news that they're confirmed in Unova. Looks like the whole damn world's gone to hell…*sigh*…well, hurry up. We need to get out of here."_

_*static*_

"_Archer, we'll be right there. Out."_

_*static*_

…

A flash of silver and yellow shot across the marble ground. (Try and keep up!)

(Try and hit me!) AntiShadow replied, flipping backward as Zero's claws sliced the air where he was before immediately cutting forward with enough speed to nick off a ribbon of blood from his ear.

At the same moment, Zero's face scrunched in pain. A moment later he saw AntiShadow's legs flipping backward along with a slap from his tail. Jumping back to recover, Zero cursed to himself as the dark Pikachu got on his feet with a dark sphere in his paw aimed at him. (Without me hitting back, of course.)

The broad side of Shadow's Iron Tail smashed into AntiLight's arm and forced her into a slight spin. Coming around, he jumped up and grabbed at the top of her head. Her head twisted along with his paw for a second before she completely turned and grabbed Shadow by the arm in midair, grinning at him. (Too slow.)

He braced himself, shutting his eyes tightly as he felt the hard marble meet his back. With a roll he managed to slide onto all fours, narrowly avoiding a slice from her tail and then raising himself onto two feet. In a brief moment, he had lightning striking down from the dark heavens into his paw, sweeping over his arm. Dashing away from her, Shadow swung his arm across her area with the lightning still crashing down on him.

Patters of stone hitting stone sounded as the tiny shards of marble ripped up from the fast-forming tear in the ground. AntiLight winced from the whip-like slap of the electricity as Shadow disappeared from his spot.

The small frown she made formed back into a grin as she turned right and grabbed a hold on Shadow's fist. Her tail whipped around as she spun to gain distance, followed by the speedy movement of her arms blocking subsequent shots Shadow made at her, each seemingly more punishing than the last.

(A little angry, are we, dear?) AntiLight said in-between a hit. She kept taking leaps backward, each time leaving him for the brief instant it took him to close in again and continue his onslaught. Despite the hating look he had in his reddish eyes, he stayed almost silent; grunting only as he suddenly put his paws together and charged dark energy into them.

(Ha!) He yelled as he swung with both paws into her block. The energy concentrated into his paws screeched as it flew into her guard and rippled the air, sending a mighty pulse through her that within the moment sent her sliding back on the ground, cracking up the rock underneath. This time, she swiftly raised her paws to her sides and conjured white and black energies into them and slammed the two together.

(!) Shadow leapt to the side as the grayish shockwave tore through the ground like a gigantic silvery knife, roaring through the air as he took off once more at her. Laughing, AntiLight rushed at him in kind and dove over his lunge, spinning to exchange another brief fist-to-fist battle before she felt her paw get yanked by his.

Black aura filled his paws as he let go and jumped up to reach her. (Eat this!)

The sound of his claws whizzing through the air mixed with the brief sound of an explosion behind him. Dust on the ground tore out of the way as Zero sped away from AntiShadow once more, coming in from behind and making a quick stab before sliding around him and swing both sets of claws at his throat…

However, as with the other slash, Zero instead found his razor-sharp claws hitting against the blackish-hued Lightning Blade in AntiShadow's paws. He growled as he made another wide underhand slash, blocked once more by AntiShadow's blade as he spun it downward. With a slight flutter in his step, Zero launched electricity up his other set of claws and stabbed.

_Augh! No, not now!_

The pulsing feeling went up his arms once again as he felt a burning that went across his paws and into his claws. Once more, his eyes flashed green as he continued to slash, getting somewhat faster with each cut. Before long, AntiShadow could see the electricity at the ends of Zero's claws go into a black hue…

_No! _

(What do we have here?) AntiShadow said as Zero tore away from his Lightning Blade and let out a cry as his arms swung out, letting a black shockwave explode from him. Growling to himself, Zero could feel spikes of the energy begin to burst from all over him, sending small waves into the rock beneath him that made it crack and warp. While he got back on all fours, AntiShadow saw his clawed paws go to his face, covering his eyes as he begun to quiver all over.

_Namba…!_

The shrieks of several Ethereals could be heard as the ground under Zero continued to crack in long and jagged lines. Teeth grinding against each other, Zero could hear his own heart beating quickly in his chest, cold and heat overtaking his limbs and his chest. Black static crackled into a sphere around him as a single tear ran down his cheek from underneath his paws.

…_DAMN YOU!_

Somewhere within him, like a volcano erupting, a torrent of rage just exploded out from him. His entire form became consumed in dark aura like gasoline catching fire. The fearful whimpers he had been letting out became calmer, though heavier breaths. AntiShadow could see that the bright green color of his irises had spread completely over his eyes. At first, with his now metallic-looking claws hanging with his paws to the side, Zero only gave AntiShadow a blank stare.

Slowly, a twitching smile formed on his face, a snicker escaping his jaw. AntiShadow watched with a content look on him as Zero raised his right paw up into the air. Waves of black surged over the ground towards him, which seemed to build up into the dark static surrounding him. Within a few seconds, the energy suddenly shot up in a beam to the smoke-ridden night sky.

(RAAAGH!)

His arms swung out o the side as he spiraled towards AntiShadow like a massive yellow spinning top. Black arcs of energy spun around him and cut wildly into the air and ground around him as he stopped spinning and quickly braced his legs back along with his right arm.

(HA!)

His right arm flashed into shades of black and silver as he made a quick but a high jump. With just a moment to spare, AntiShadow jumped backward as Zero crashed back to the ground with a powerful explosion from his right side claws that threw up massive chunks of rock with its shockwave. AntiShadow backflipped high as the shockwave passed underneath him, slamming into the Ho-oh fountain in the center of the courtyard and ripping up its entire structure from the ground along with the surrounding rock.

AntiLight glanced towards the explosion and chuckled when she saw the bright glowing green of Zero's eyes. As Shadow smashed into the marble with a Thunderpunch and shattered the rock underneath trying to hit her, she jumped backward to avoid the torrent of rock rushing towards them.

(!) Shadow gasped as he saw the shockwave and leapt over it, his feet grinding against the uneven rock and dirt that now remained as he rushed at her again. Jumping back, he looked towards where Zero was and narrowed his eyes as he saw the black flames erupting from him.

…_He didn't have that power before…_

Exploding out from the dust, Zero twist his arms back around himself.

(HA!)

With another swift twist Zero shot at AntiShadow in another dark energy enhanced twister with his claws buzzing the air around him. Rolling on his side to dodge, AntiShadow watched as Zero quickly recovered from his last attack and raised his glowing claws to the sides.

(HA HA HA!)

His arms moved at an unbelievable speed as he made rapid and wide slashes into the air in front of him that threw arcs of dark energy towards AntiShadow in the shapes of his cuts.

AntiShadow ran towards Zero, acrobatically avoiding each shadowy wave coming at him and closing the gap on the Pichu within seconds in the wake of the explosions the waves made behind him. Zero slashed twice more before jumping backwards into the air. As he crossed his arms over his head, his claws grinded together with the errant sound of scraping metal.

(NIL WAVE!)

A shower of sparks fired off his claws as he slashed them on top of each other, the dark energy flaring up as it was released in a massive, black X-shaped wave.

The air around the wave contracted and left behind a black trail from where it came. Wind suddenly rushed towards the afterimage of the wave, as if space itself was being sucked into a small black hole.

(Look at that, Shadow…now he's truly in your league. He's officially a monster…like you.)

Shadow balled up his paw at his side. The red of his eyes seemed to shudder as the X-wave swerved at AntiShadow when he rolled away. At that moment his body flared with dark aura as he dropped backward, disappearing into the ground while the wave passed over him and let out a screech upon contact with the square.

(Ah!) Shadow cried out as waves of dark energy boomed from the point of impact, taking chunk upon chunk of rock with it that forced him to shut his eyes from the tiny pieces of gravel. The marble beneath him was even giving way, making him sink down a small distance as what remained of the tattered and broken marble courtyard was ripped from the earth and thrown with the hurricane of dark energy.

…

(Over there!) "I know!"

Alarms could be heard wailing over the roar of the fire that licked up from one window to the one over it on the surrounding shells of the buildings on both sides of the road. And with each billowing column of smoke rising into the choking sky, there were at least ten of the creatures Ash could see.

Residue from the smog in their held to his face, sweat running down from his forehead from the intense heat of the inferno. A flash went up in his hand as he cartwheeled out of the way of an Ethereal's claws and shredded their humanoid bodies to wisps of purplish-black smoke with his aura.

"BAAAGH!"

Ash spun around, a transparent white wall appearing in front of him from his outstretched hand as the demonic-looking Pokemon who was running at him slid to a stop just a foot or so from where his barrier was, bloody scars crossing over its eerily calm, pale face.

"Lotus?" Ash spoke in a voice just barely above a whisper, staring into the pitch-black orbs that were her eyes. The twin spiny leaves on her head waved a little, the large black leaves around her neck folding slightly as she let out a sound that sounded somewhere between a screech and a moan…

_(Machine!)_

"…Machine…?"

She opened her mouth again, a ball of dark energy forming in her mouth. For a moment he strengthened the shield in front of him until he found her just looking down toward her own mouth, still giving short grunts as she closed her mouth again.

_(DARK MACHINE!)_

"…dark machine…the dark energy generator?" Ash whispered once more, nodding to her. Gulping, he lowered his hand from in front of him to get a clear look at his mutated friend.

(Ash!)

"LEY!" She screeched before one of her vines, black and covered in spikes, ripped out from between the leaves on her neck and shot past Ash, a dark aura forming around it as it slashed into an Ethereal that was sneaking up on her master. He continued the short stare for a few moments before nodding to her and turning away, his Lightning Blade crackling before his face once more.

"Bolt!"

Breathing out, Bolt slid away from a small barrage of claws from three Ethereals, conjuring white aura in his paws as they ran towards him once more. Rays of light burst from narrow, glowing cuts across their bodies as Bolt slid to a stop near his master on the other side of them, hearing the brief screeches they made as they faded into purplish smoke.

"Bolt…we're going back to the Viridian Gym. We got so caught up with the Zapmolcuno before that we forgot what we had come for in the first place."

(Right behind you then.)

…

"_Is she*cough!* secure?"_

"_Yes sir…and as you requested, the translation device is off as well."_

"_Good. No need to hear her complain when*cough! Cough!* she's in no position to make such demands."_

"_Rai! Rai chuchu raichu!"_

"_Hmhmhm…it's no use. I may not know what you're saying now, but on the other hand I really do not care what you have to say. I'm sure you're likely *cough!*…demanding that I free you. Think about it, little Raichu…what would be the fun in that?"_

_*cling, rustle…*_

"…_Chu? Rai, ra chu rai...?"_

"_Just so you can't struggle as much, and with less struggling *cough!* I'll have more precision here…"_

_*Prick*_

"_RAI! RAICHU! RAICHUUU!"_

"_Yes, yes, it's going to hurt for a small time*cough!*…ah, but rest assured, that is nothing compared to*cough!*…what shall happen next…"_

_SHING!_

"_Hmph. So, you intend to make her bleed first, Doctor Namba? Or are you going to kill her?"_

"_Killing her will be*cough!* counter-productive. I would lose both a valuable source of information and*cough!* a vital key to gaining the weapon. However, I'm not going to make this easy for her. Where would be the fun in that, Tenma?"_

"_*huff**huff*…Rai…churai?"_

"_Yes, I*cough!* am serious. It's perfect, I can harm you with just about anything that won't kill you, then I can just put you in a bacta tank to heal, and then repeat the process until Shadow gets here. I know he's coming for you…coming to save his beloved, right?"_

"_RAI! RAI!"_

" _Look at these wires, gaze upon this dying man…the result of another man who had a knife…!"_

"_RAIII!"_

"_It doesn't feel good to get cut open, does it?"_

"_RAICHUUU! RAICHUUU!" _

"_You might as well enjoy it…until he is here, pain is all*cough!* you're going to feel in the waking world."_

…

"James, just land on top of the school and tell yer woman to lower the damn ladder!" Archer yelled into the radio as the sound of helicopter rotors buzzed overhead, mixed with the continued, ambient sounds of yells, distant explosions and gut-wrenching screams. Nearby, his Zorua's head snapped left as another group of Ethereals bared down on her. She opened her dark gray mouth wide, a glowing, purplish-black Shadow Ball forming in her jaws. The sound of her snicker seemed to fuse with the buzz of the energy as it plowed into the demons before her.

"Zorua, keep it up!" He yelled as a member of his sniper team motioned to him. "Archer, Team Two's here!"

"Great…Dr. Xepher, we need you and Misty to git out here, we're about to leave! And Sentinel, git yer team o'er here!"

The Umbreon opposite the direction of the Zorua panted as she let out another blast of her dark energies at the creatures. Behind, she could hear some of the debris from the shattered wall of the school tumbling as Xepher and Misty stepped through. What caught her attention more, though, was the group of sniper running in towards them from down the road, each with their eyes wide and with two Pokémon flanking them, a Houndoom with blood running down from a gash on its flank and a Gallade with one eye shut, a scar crossing down his forehead to just below the eyelid.

(*huff*…Sentinel…) Sollus sighed as the lead sniper looked down at her, stopping by her while the others past him up. He kneeled down to face her at eye level, the wind generated from the helicopter's blades above whipping the strands of fabric on his ghillie suit and making the hair that stuck out from under its hood bend slightly.

It seemed exhaustion must've taken quite a toll on him, either that or shock; though he appeared mostly calm, her ears lowered as she saw the alarm that sparked through his eyes.

"Thank God, you're safe…"

…

(HA HA!)

A trio of beams ripped through the dust once more. And yet again, the sky rippled with the flash of a powerful Thunderbolt.

Black static crawled over Zero's fur from his cheeks, dark aura leaving a shadowy trail behind him as he flashed from one side of the square to where AntiShadow stood, his metallic claws shooting white-hot sparks as he slashed them over each other, trying to take off the AntiReal's head.

AntiShadow dropped into a black shadow on the ground at the last second, which promptly sped behind Zero and rippled as the Pichu spun around in time to see it erupt.

(You don't have what it takes to fight with adults, kid!) AntiShadow taunted as he soared up from the ground and struck Zero with his fists, the explosion of dark energy coming after him throwing the small yellow mouse directly into the middle of Shadow and AntiLight's battle a distance away.

_You belong to us now._

Zero scarred the ground as he pushed his claws out into the ground to right himself. Still in a punch-and-block battle with AntiLight, Shadow glanced out towards the Pichu speeding towards them and made a grab for AntiLight's arm as she punched at him once more. Pressure burst through his chest as her other paw sank into his abdomen, her grin appearing for an instant before his view until Zero's hind paw smashed right into the center of her yellow cheek.

The claws he had closest to her arced with his paw, grabbing onto her curved ear as he flew past. Before AntiLight could react, Zero had swung around and laughed as the tips of the claws on his left paw shot up from her abdomen.

_The power is yours, so take it._

Black and purple mist floated up from around the edges of his claws, sneaking out from the edges of the wound. AntiLight shakily looked down towards the wound, her usually smug looking grin replaced by a look reminiscent of shock.

Gasping for breath from the last hit he took, Shadow stepped back from her, both in awe and in alarm of the frightening dark power that was surrounding him. It reminded him too much of himself, when he had gone on that murderous rampage through Team Rocket's headquarters just a small time before. He could see in the bright glowing green of Zero's eyes the same brand of hate, the same kind of bloodlust he had that day.

_Once more._

The dark Raichu's body jolted again as she felt another sharp set of claws ripping through her back. As he dropped down to stand behind her, Zero could feel the air on the tips of all his claws, an exciting realization of just how much damage he inflicted…

Even better, she looked just like HER.

(heh heh heh…heh heh…) Zero chuckled faintly, his bright green eyes wide with an unrelenting gaze of insanity from the power flowing through him. Every bit of it, from the tips of his ear that stuck straight out to the tips of the dark energy claws that extended from his natural claws…every little bit of that energy…

It felt like it was corroding him, eating him away like necrosis of his soul. It felt like someone had lit a great inferno in him that burned throughout his body like plague. The only feeling he had now…now that this…THING that had taken control…was the knowledge that he could still feel the limbs of his body.

Even so, it felt amazing.

(…Not bad, child…not bad at all…)

His claws wrenched in her skin, letting more of the black and purple fumes flow up from the wounds. One of her eyes closed tightly, the other wide as his claws slowly tore out to her sides. Despite the fact that she was almost being torn in half, Shadow could see that she still wore a smile upon her face.

(To think, Shadow…my 'real' self is getting sliced up right now, too…)

(!)

The fur to her sides bulged out for an instant before Zero's claws tore up from her flesh, and as he laughed the torrent of dark energy that was held in her body exploded out , her body fading into the massive black shockwave that swept both 'Chus up in its shadowy path…

"_It's true. Our dear friend is, right now, enjoying the comforts of company with a human like Namba. Can you imagine hearing her screaming her little heart out right now, me?_

Shadow's teeth grinded together, his eyes shut as the feeling of jagged rock and water from the flooding marble around the broken fountain met his back. The force lifted him up once again, flipping him backwards for another roll with the back of his furry head smacking the ground this time. Sparks jumped off his cheeks as he slid on a smoother slab of marble that had remained intact, only to invite him to let out a cry as he was smacked into the side of the broken fountain itself.

His gaze had been averted upwards, allowing him to see the orange tint of the smoke filled night sky, ripe with fires that flared within the diagonally columns of smoke. A flash lit up one of the clouds in the distance, followed by the distant sound of an explosion. Far away he could see a Kanto fighter plane zooming through the fog of war, chasing down a jet black rocket fighter that had dived through the smoke.

(Augh…*huff*…) Shadow breathed as he rolled over onto his feet, water making light splashes beneath him as turned around to where AntiLight had just been standing. Instead of seeing the demonic Raichu, he was met by the sinister, bright green gaze of the dark Zero instead, covered in scratches and emanating a deadly dark purple aura. Even in the midst of the chaotic sounds of the warzone, he could hear the Pichu almost whisper, "Shadow" as stared at him blankly, lifting his arms from his sides just slightly…

The feeling of the cold, thin metal of knives pressed against his neck. His brow creased, eyes locked into the bright emerald of the Pichu standing before him. Small sparks of dark energy bounced off his fur, reforming back into Zero's claws every few seconds.

Sharp breaths drew from Zero's mouth, his mouth ajar to show his teeth clenched underneath. (…You could've easily avoided this.) Zero said in monotone, eyes wide as he pressed the blunt side of his claws up into Shadow's skin. Shadow kept a calm demeanor. (…You wouldn't have just fought with me there if you were trying to kill me. That…and you haven't gone ahead and done it now.)

(…I want to know…) Zero began, a twitch zapping through his arms. His voice shuddered, chills running through him. (…what's happening to me?)

…

"All in? Pokémon in their balls? Good, let's leave this godforsaken place!" Jessie shouted in an annoyed matter, turning to James in the pilot seat next to her with the last sentence. Behind them, Meowth rolled his eyes. "Couldn't agree more. Get de others winched and let's leave."

"Hmph. Nice helicopter you have here." Sentinel said, against the metal door as the winch dropped from below the bottom panel. James nodded in turn. "The three of us have built so many mechs and other machinery it's ridiculous."

"Know what's ridiculous, boy? Ya haven't gotten us outta here yet! Quit yer chattin' and fly!" Archer yelled over his radio, looking up in the humvee towards the helicopter as the sniper sitting behind him in the gunner's spot grabbed secured chains onto bars that jutted from the metallic dome that had dropped down and secured itself to the top of the vehicle, lifting it slightly with its magnetism.

"Um…old man?" the Zorua on his shoulder spoke, staring straight ahead fearfully as he wiped some dirt off his rifle's barrel with a rag.

"What is-woah! James, lift! LIFT DAMMIT!" Archer yelled into his radio as his team members hastily lifted their rifles of their laps and positioned them on the edges of the seats and on the dashboard. Far beyond them, a trio of Titans in the remains of their tattered and torn Rocket uniforms bellowed mighty and beastlike roars, one smashing through a roadblock that blocked the street while another made a mighty leap over a fallen traffic light that still blinked yellow.

Even as bullets began to tear into his body, the lead roared once more, swinging his gigantic, muscular arm into an SUV in his way to send its mangled body flying forward, showering scraps of metal every which way. Drips of sweat drained down his face as he saw the car roll ahead past them, flinging a glass shard through the side window and just an inch from his forehead.

"Jessie, fire the gun!"

A click sounded under the helicopter as two doors opened up to allow a large chaingun to drop down, revving for a second before a river of blue lasers exploded from the revolving barrels.

Archer lifted the night-vision goggles he still had on his face up into his dust-coated hair. A fine red mist could be seen as soon as the first laser made contact with its victims, allowing short-term, animalistic shouts of pain to run through the air. The helicopter shuddered slightly from the recoil before the barrels slowed, allowing the resulting cloud of blood and dust to settle.

Unidentifiable burnt chunks of flesh and bone coated the gravel encrusted road, smoke drifting up from a blackened streak that had dug into the pavement, right through the mutilated remains.

"Phew. They're dead." "Very dead." James and Jessie said respectively, turning to one another and sighing. "Maybe we should've just used the cannon." James said as he pressed a few buttons before putting his hand to his earpiece. "Everyone all right down there?"

"Dandy, James. Can ya lift off already?" Archer replied as the ground began to drift away from under them, a slight groan in the vehicle's metal being heard. Pinching the bridge of his nose, the mustachioed sniper sighed. "Its days like these that make me wonder why the fuck I haven't retired yet."

In the cabin behind the cockpit, Sentinel rubbed his forehead, looking over his team, who were just as exhausted as he was. "One hell of a mission, huh?" He said with a smirk. At the window, a dark-skinned member of his team rolled his eyes, practically ripping the balaclava from his face as he took a breath. "As in hectic or really hell, 'cause I'm sure we just saw both."

"…Damn right, Harvey…damn right."

Meanwhile, Xepher had zipped open his carrying case and had once again taken to typing:

_To: Dr. Oak_

_From: Dr. Xepher_

_If you've received this message, please note that I am well. I'm sure you know of what is happening at this time; at the present I am being transported away from the Viridian battlefield via helicopter. I was able to witness a great number of the creatures that Ash had told you about before, based on what I remember. Humanoid, slit-like red eyes, long black claws, and a horrifying screech. It seems Namba is moving full speed ahead._

_At this time I also have no confirmation as to whether Shadow or Light were able to escape this mess. Last I checked, neither were among those who were in the makeshift hospital at the time I returned after leaving. I fear not only for their safety, but for their chances of escape…_

_The Ethereal are all over the world, as you must well know by now. No one is safe who is outside the barrier around Cerulean City. I want you to begin reproducing the light energy generators if you can for use in shelters that can be set up. If not this, than attempt to increase the power of the one over Cerulean to extend its range. _

_Indeed the days and weeks ahead are not going to be pleasant. I can only assure that if you and I do not speed up our acts to quell Namba's plans, we could very well be looking at the extinction of all things._

_Xepher_

…

"This place is crawling with Ethereals…" Ash said as his Lighting Blade cut into another creature while the white aura around it made it vaporize in an instant. Looking ahead, he could see a strange machine amongst the wreckage in the dark underground lab, noticing the eerie, purplish-black glow it gave from the massive ball of dark energy that was concentrated atop it from two small towers.

(…It's not giving off a very welcoming feeling.) Bolt said, his fur prickling in places. Ash nodded, feeling the sinister aura that surrounded the structure.

"…No…and with all these Ethereals, I can only assume Namba has them all over Kanto." He spoke, raising his Lightning Blade as several forms burst from the ball of dark energy concentrating in the generator, forming into a group of Ethereal who immediately stood and charged with their claws forward, booming their demonic screeches…

...

Happy summer vacation to all.


	16. Chpt XV: Bound

Chapter XV: Bound

October 7, 2061 5:01 p.m.

A glass bottle made a thump sound as it hit the wooden table, just a foot or so from the matte black sniper rifle that lay on the counter with four similarly colored magazines lying closely by it. Near the scope of the weapon, a Zorua lay sleeping, her chest rising and falling with her breaths. The old man sitting there wiped his lips with his arm, looking out towards the road leading towards Mt. Moon that his post overlooked on the hill.

"Ah guess those damn things are like vampires, eh? Not comin' out much durin' the day, but ready ta gut us at night." Archer said with a slight dragging of the words. "With them around, we can't go outside this here barrier…I wonder how anyone outside is doin'."

Sentinel looked out through the opening in their watchtower, hidden among the leaves of the trees. The barrier cut the road in half about a half-mile from where they were, noticeable through the slight distortion it created through its bluish, transparent wall. "Probably not so good from what I saw at Viridian, sir."

"Well, that's a given. 'Parently these things aren't hurt by bullets, so you and I are pretty much useless until Dr. what's-his-name can build us a weapon that can do somethin'."

Sentinel looked back towards his mustachioed partner. "You mean Xepher?" "Yeah, him." Archer said while using the back of his hand to wipe his mouth, opening a pocket on his side and withdrawing a carefully folded-up piece of soft fabric. He took a hold of his rifle and held it with the butt of it on his thigh, beginning to dust off the scope.

"You should probably git to cleanin' up yers, Sentinel."

The Umbreon lying on the wooden floor of the tower next to Sentinel's seat looked up drowsily as she felt his bare hand give her a quick scratch behind her long black ear. Sollus blinked rapidly, giving a smile to Sentinel as he picked up his weapon from next to her where it had been leaning against the table they were at. Yawning, Sollus lowered her head back down and closed her eyes.

"Both o' them must've used up more juice than we thought, eh?" Archer said as he slid his scope off its mounts and looked through it before wiping the front lens. "I thought I had seen enough crazy shit since the day I joined up. I've been a sniper for about twenty two years now, but I've never seen anythin' that's had the effect of these things."

"Really."

"Yep." Archer replied, laying his scope on the table to grab the wine bottle sitting on the wood. He took a sip of the red liquid. "The gang riots in Unova nine years ago were chaotic, but they weren't nothin' like this bullshit we're in now."

The end of the scope locked back onto the rifle's utility rail with a clicking sound. Archer peered through the scope and just slightly turned the knobs on the side and on top of it as Sentinel slid a wire with hundreds of tiny bristles down the barrel of his own sniper rifle. The younger sniper sighed as he removed the barrel brush. "Well, look where we are now, holed up in the only city that isn't overrun by those things."

"Yep…Cerulean's the only safe city now, accordin' to…aw fuck, look at that."

Archer leaned forward in his seat, looking through his scope towards the road, adjusting his optic's zoom. In turn, Sentinel picked up his own rifle from beside himself and spied the area where his mentor had his rifle pointed…

A Bellossom on the road ran on the road towards the shield, tears streaming from its beadlike blue eyes as an Ethereal behind it pursued, closing in on it rapidly before it reached out towards it with its claws when the tiny Pokémon was just a few yards from the barrier.

Through the scope, Sentinel was able to see the monster seize the plant Pokémon by one of the leaves that made up its 'skirt'. Falling onto its chest, the Bellossom screamed, crying as the creature grabbed a hold of its head and lifted it in the air towards its featureless, slit-eyed face. The Bellossom seemed paralyzed from looking into the deep red eyes of the Ethereal, opening its mouth to make a silent scream only as the demon used its other set of claws to impale its chest and rip upwards.

"Wow…" Sentinel said, hearing Archer take another swig from his bottle. The Ethereal dropped the dead Bellossom to the ground, kneeling down before placing both of its 'hands' over the mutilated plant Pokémon's chest. The Bellossom's eyes shot open as the Ethereal dissolved into its body, a dark aura forming around it as the Ethereal completely disappeared into it.

"Well, I've seen my share of strange stuff, so I'm not explicitly surprised…but I'll admit, this is some fucked up shit we're seein'." Archer commented dully as the corpse rose up silently from the ground, blood dripping from the hole in its chest as thorns shot up from the blackening leaves on its body, the flowers on its head turning a dark purple as it turned around, seemingly looking right towards the two snipers and screeching with glowing red eyes.

…

_*static*_

…

_*static*_

"_We need an evac now! There's too many of 'em!" "All air support is tied up at the moment!" _

"_No!" "Our guns aren't doing anything to these-*static*"_

_*static* _

"_What few survivors we're receiving say that some of the creatures possess the bodies of the dead to attack." _

_*static*_

…

"_Look, over there!" "Oh my God, oh my God!" "What the fuck, zombies now?"_

_*static*_

"_Hundreds of thousands are already dead, and nearly equal amounts are being reported as missing. Right now a massive fire is radiating out into the woods surrounding Viridian Forest, and all power is down in the western area of Kanto."_

_*static*_

"_They're just shredding everything and everyone on the ground…" "Looks like it. I really hope none of those things can take down a helicopter…" "…oh fuck. That one is…" "Ripping that Charmander's head off? Just pretend it isn't or something." _

_*static*_

"_We've lost contact with the Hoenn, Unova, and Sinnoh regions." _

_*static*_

"_No, we haven't heard from Ash. Sorry Misty." "…It's fine. Glad you're okay, Brock…"_

_*static*_

…

(Why do you think I can help you, let alone trust you?)

(…I experienced firsthand that you already have the kind of…'curse' that I have now. All I want is for you to help me either get rid of it or learn how to control it like you have. That, and I know I can help you out since Light was captured.)

(…You know where she is?)

(I know where Namba is. I think we can agree that he'd like to keep a close eye on her.)

(…Fine then. As long as you can take me to where they're keeping her, I'll help you out.)

…

_I can only guess that right now, Cerulean City is the only safe place in the world right now. Sinnoh and Hoenn lost communications earlier, Johto's in total chaos, and so far we've only been getting mostly negative news from Unova. Apparently the Golurk and Golett out there are actually fighting off the Ethereal there for the most part, but there's too little of them, and the things just keep coming back. _

_At least they're doing what they had been created to do over a millennium ago: protect humans and Pokémon. _

_This is just so very unreal. How could this have happened? Not even Namba could create something to spawn so many Ethereal. No living person could have possibly have done this!_

_I'll just have to work harder to compress the light energy generators. If I could somehow find a way to create some sort of weapon that channels light energy, be it a gun or even simple sticks, we could fight back against these creatures and find their source. _

_I must work faster. As much as I'd like to take a break now, I know I cannot, not when thousands of people are dying by the hour because of these monsters…_

…_So they can't find Shadow or Light, fuck, Ash and Bolt are missing too. I can only pray that they are just out fighting the Ethereal, wherever they may be. _

…

"_Can you hear me, Light?"_

_I…I can…barely…_

"_You have to hold on, Light."_

_This is like…this is like…_

…_hell!_

"_Don't give up, it'll only mean that others will be hurt as well."_

_At this rate I don't even know if I'm alive or if I'm dead…_

"_Just hold on. Shadow will find you, I promise."_

…

…_Shadow…_

…

(Here's Pewter City.)

(Damn…It looks worse than Viridian.) Shadow responded as he walked down the path with the Pichu, eyeing the gaping holes in the burning skyscrapers and the bodies of humans and Pokemon that littered the street. Even in the daytime, the city was covered in a nigh-impenetrable darkness by the smoke that floated up from the smoldering heaps of metal and the blackened shells of the houses. Other than the sound of the crackling fires and the wind whistling through the charred wreckages, it was silent.

(…Shadow…!)

The Pikachu stepped out in front of Zero as he stopped in his tracks, twitching visible in his arms as he bowed his head, eyes shut tight while his teeth chattered in his mouth. In the distance, atop the flaming skeleton of a water tower far away, he swore he saw a Pikachu-like silhouette, staring down at them with bright red eyes.

Shadow glared out toward the figure for a few moments, keeping his eyes on it as he slowly walked to Zero's side…

"_Just kill him already. You don't need this kid to find Light."_

(…Just do what I told you. Focus on one thing.)

_One thing…_

_One…_

Dark aura had begun to rise from the smaller electric mouse, though very subtle. As his breathing calmed and he raised his head back up, the energy dissipated into a light vapor that disappeared within a second of leaving.

(*huff**huff*…Every time I get…stressed, this happens…but I'm sure you know that by now.)

(…I know…it happens to me sometimes.) Shadow replied, looking back up to the broken water tower in the distance, noticing that his AntiReal was no longer there.

(I saw that…you killed me, after all.)

(No I didn't. Otherwise, you wouldn't be talking to me.) Shadow said flatly. Zero shook his head and looked right at Shadow, another bright green flash lighting up his eyes for a moment, a twitch quickly following. (You know, it's true what they say about dying. Everything blanks out into a blinding white, and you swear you can see absolutely everything that's happened to you. EVERYTHING. Even some things you might have forgotten. But then…)

He sighed, one of his paws balling up. (…Then there was the feeling of getting yanked out, when you were so close to passing on…then you feel yourself breathing again, followed by an intense, burning feeling…and that's when I awoke in Namba's lab, in the ray of the ECLIPSE generator.)

…

"_Good, you're *cough!* back with the living. It would have been a pity to lose you like that, Zero." _

"…"

"_Don't tell me the fight *cough! Cough!*…with Shadow ruined your hearing, little Pichu. Can you *cough!* hear me?" _

"…_Yeah…?"_

"_What's the matter? *cough! Cough! Cough!*…Can't you feel the strength you have now?"_

"_I feel almost like…I feel almost like I'm on fire!"_

"_That's just the beginning! Soon you'll have the kind of power *cough!* Shadow had." _

"_I'm…I'm supposed to be dead right now! Why did you bring me back?" _

"_Simple: *cough!*…so you could continue on, Zero. Shadow isn't going to be waiting for you. *cough!*…and I'm sure he'll be quite surprised at your new powers." _

"_Pow…What the…?"_

"_Augh!" _

"_Can you feel it burning within you? That is the dark power he has! *cough!* It is the same energy!" _

"_Augh! Stop it! STOP IT, STOP IT!" _

"_I can't stop it. It's already*cough!*…"_

"…_a part of you." _

…

(…I should've figured out just how crazy that bastard is a long, long time ago. I was so close…so close to being free of this.) He continued on with the green in his eyes seeming to fade with his mood. (…then he goes and throws me into a living hell.)

(…So how did you adapt to these…transformations?)

(…)

"_You never really did adapt, did you."_

_I don't need your input. _

(…Just try to keep it off your mind. Think of other things. Focus on something else. If you let the thought linger, you're going to end up losing control.) Shadow answered at last, looking the younger 'chu in the eyes.

(I noticed…)

(…!)(…!)

The sound of knives ripping from their sheaths along with a zapping sound passed through their ears as they turned from each other and stood back-to-back, Zero raising his right paw over his head while his left stayed in a defensive position over his chest, his thin, curved metallic claws gleaming in the glow of the fires. Bolts of static trickled from Shadow's cheeks, his right arm out to his side and projecting an electrical blade.

The red of Shadow's eyes darted to the left, then to the right, taking in the detail of the half-toppled department building in front of him, the dark green sports car that had rolled to a stop by a blinking traffic light and the chunks of concrete jutting from the ground along several blast holes. The scents told of burning wood and rubber, along with the lingering scent of the people and Pokémon that had once walked the streets not too long ago, running far from those who had been doing battle…

"ugh…"

(!) Zero slid to the side of Shadow as he swung around. Shallow but calm breaths passed into and from their lips, their eyes resting upon a human in Kanto Army garb who was slowly but surely crawling out from the shattered window of a partially collapsed Pokémart. Flakes of cement slid off his flak jacket, dyed a tinge of gray by dust that also powdered his light brown hair and the front of the helmet slung to the back of his head.

A jagged line of red ran down his pale left arm from under his torn sleeve. Weakly, he reached out with his right arm and braced himself on the pavement outside the window, nearly toppling to the ground as he brought his legs out from the wreckage. Still, he made coughing sounds as he hung his head, ragged breaths escaping his mouth as he lay there on his hands and knees…

While various innards hung out from his chest, some partially torn from themselves and coated with dust from the cement.

(He's…) (Yeah, they're all coming out.)

Various groans could be hears as others crawled or stumbled out from the wreckage, all sporting torn and battered clothing over heavily blood-soaked bodies. The soldier who had crawled out from the Pokémart now lifted his head, a mad grin spread across the side of his face that was not torn of its flesh, a bright red glowing in his eyes just as with the others. Almost in unison, the mutilated soldiers and civilians, both Kanto and Rocket alike, screeched with a demonic sound reminiscent of laughter.

(Ethereals…)

They looked back at each other, locking bright green eyes with deep red.

(Ready?) (Let's go.)

…

"It's time to wake up…"

Blue fluid slowly drained into slits in the metal at the bottom of the tank. Wires that reached down from the top of the glass cylinder released themselves from the orange mouse Pokémon. Excess fluid dripped from the bottom edge of the cylinder as it rose, the Raichu within the tube slowly waking up as the collar around her neck buzzed. A small green light on it began to flash as she slowly stepped out from the space she had been floating in.

Even after the bacta, one could still see scars in her fur where numerous cuts had been made no more than a day ago. In the dim glow of the rectangular lights overhead, her eyes, bloodshot and soft, showed a longing, tired quality. As a black-garbed Rocket soldier with a gas mask on emerged from the shadows behind the deranged doctor, her ears drooped down even further, bowing her head. Stepping behind her, the soldier, with an orange glow emanating from the mask's eye holes, silently pointed his AK-159 at her. "Move."

…

This was certainly not the Team Rocket base she had been in. Not the one Shadow had been in for the greater part of his life. The long, metal flooring responded to their steps with a clang sound, reverberating into the ground far below…

Around them, the sound of machinery produced a symphony of gears and ratchets turning, metal scraping together, the sound of large hammer-like objects hammering white-hot metal on conveyer belts. Energy of all kinds could be seen zapping from one instrument to the next, liquids of every color and transparency flowing into and out of glass tubes and pipelines that ran next to the machinery.

Several others in their lab coats and uniforms walked to and fro, adding an element of percussion to the already overwhelming, industrial music. A group of soldiers, fully garbed with heavy black boots, dark gray trenchcoats and gas masks with a helmet on top silently marched past. Light shivered slightly; she felt their presence, a hauntingly cold aura, chilling her like arctic wind. From what she could see of their flesh, a thin strip on their necks between the bottom of their gas masks and the tops of their undershirts, their skin was absolutely pale, like the living dead.

Dr. Namba, no longer confined to the seat of a wheelchair, looked out towards the machinery and smiled. "As you can see, we've done…*cough!* quite a bit of renovation to the inside of Mount Moon. *cough!* …this place is also the place I call home now. But enough about me; tell me what you think."

Light looked away from his gaze in defiance. From his coat, the mad doctor produced a small, rectangular remote, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "You're impolite for being Xepher's little friend."

…Why couldn't she breathe?

Her cheeks began to crackle, but after a moment the sparks suddenly died, just as she reached for the collar. Was it choking her? Was it somehow tightening around her neck? As she felt under the leather, she found that it wasn't very tight at all, though nor was it loose. Inside, she began to panic. Why wasn't she able to breathe?

It was then that she noticed a discomfort, fullness at the base of her neck where the back of the collar touched her fur. Above her, Namba watched dully, a button on the control he held pressed down. "It's an interesting little accessory…*cough!*…isn't it? It taps directly into your nervous system to allow me to control your motor functions and your involuntary bodily functions…*cough!*…so, if I wanted to…I could stop your heart from beating, I could stop your immune system from fighting disease, I could stop your lungs from allowing you to breathe…"

She could see his fingers slide over the control to allow another section of it, containing even more buttons, to slide out from a hidden section of it. The next moment, she felt her hind legs moving of their own accord.

"I could make you jump off the railing to your death."

Despite her efforts to stop herself, despite the will she exerted trying to stop her legs and the rest of her body from moving, she found herself almost willingly balancing on the edge of the metal walkway's guardrail. She screamed in terror inside her mind as her eyes turned down to stare into the bottomless abyss below. Closing them, she began to tear up as her left hind leg began to lift itself with another manipulation of the controller Namba held. The mad doctor grinned fiendishly at the sight of the salty fluid rolling down her cheeks and passed her gritted jaw. He ran one hand through his reddish-orange hair, proud at the sight of his sinister technology working as he thought it should.

Her right leg grew sore, still balancing upon the guardrail. Chills crept up her body as she felt the breath of the madman upon the edges of her left ear, his usually self-absorbed voice now totally emotionless: "Get used to this while you have the time. Your power is no longer yours to use; it is now mine. You will do everything I demand of you, from now until my plans are complete. When that time comes…*cough!* you will no longer be needed."

…_no…_

The faceless soldier in the gas mask watched silently as Namba back away from the Raichu. Her leg that floated above the rail now made contact and bent with her other leg, making her jump back onto the walkway. Her tail fell limply behind her with a clang of the lightning bolt to the cold steel. Gaze lowered, she stared down into the metal walkway, as if trying to find something…ANYTHING…to make it stop.

…_this isn't…_

"No matter what you feel, no matter what you think, you will only exist now to complete the weapon. It may take months, it may take years…*cough!* but I will gain the hidden power you possess. You will, from now on, submit to me…and me alone."

…_this isn't…_

Fur on her body stood on end as he lifted her head to meet his eyes with a palm. Could she hear her own heartbeats?

"The first thing you will do for me…" He said, the look on his face like he was suppressing a laugh, "…the first task I give you…is simple:"

"You will go out…and bring me Shadow. Alive…or dead."

With this statement, he pressed another button on his controller. Even as tears flooded down her face from tightly closed eyes, the Raichu's body betrayed her once again…and bowed down to him. The words that emerged from her mouth were not hers; he smiled in satisfaction of the reply. Even if he couldn't understand what she initially said, the sounds of her speaking in her kind's tongue were quickly translated by the speaker on her collar:

(…It will be done…master.)

…_this isn't…_

…_right…_

…

Shadow ripped through and Ethereal with his Iron Tail, grabbing Zero by his arm as he ran for him. As Shadow swung around with Zero held, he let go so the Pichu went soaring into the next Ethereal. His claws swung a jagged, rippling slash through the dark creature.

Jumping again, Zero crossed his arms over each other, letting the short blades spark before ripping them out at a zombified Rocket soldier who ran in with half his face already gone like a giant pair of scissors.

(!)

There it was again, the burning feeling that rushed up through every fiber of himself. Zero ended up hitting the pavement and rolling to a stop, his paws gripping his forehead as his claws dug small cuts into his scalp. Curled into a ball, the Pichu groaned with frustration, bright green emanating from under his eyelids as he slowly opened them.

…_da…damn it!_

(Hnngh…nngh…RAAAAH!)

Shadow twisted around with his Iron Tail and slid to run back to help Zero, but instead he froze, cursing to himself as his brow furrowed.

The corpses, possessed by the Ethereals inside them, let out pained screams alongside their possessors as they were torn out from the corpses by the near-invisible flash of yellow. It grinded against the road to turn, letting Shadow see the crazed grin Zero sported now, laughing before he left the spot with a shockwave of air after him.

A wide, powerful slash sliced one of the possessed corpses in half, letting it give off a wild, unearthly scream as the Ethereal within it was thrown back, itself screeching from its featureless face as Zero quickly swung around it and made several, lightning-fast slashes that made it appear that the creature had been thrown through a blender before it faded into a purple mist.

Eyes flashing, his rampage certainly did not stop there.

As the next corpse struck out at him, he suddenly appeared behind it, laughing like a maniac as tens of delayed slashes suddenly diced the Ethereal zombie into bloody shards of flesh and bone. Lightning ran off his claws and exploded against the chest of the next formerly living man who dared to run towards him, leaving the same effect as before with a short rain of blood pouring down upon his short, dull yellow form.

More and more came, more and more met their demise at the ends of his claws, his newfound rage, his darkness. As soon as he the tendons from one's neck gave way to the razor-sharp blades of his claws, another Ethereal zombie screeched as its already mutilated arms were stripped from their sockets before an explosion of black electricity blasted it and other behind it into a dark red mist.

He stood still now, looking around himself in an eager fashion as more of the possessed corpses rushed towards him, brandishing everything from chunks of concrete in their pale, ripped hands to assault rifles held by their stocks like bats.

Thunder rumbled overhead from the clouds hidden in the smoke above.

(Thunderbolt!)

Lightning exploded around the Pichu and tore through the demons all around. As dust and flame clouded his vision for that instant, he could see Shadow far in front of him with one arm held up into the air, electricity surging up into the clouds while his eyes focused solely on him.

Thunder continued to create deafening, crackling booms every time another bolt of lightning tore into the earth. Using the electricity that still sparked rampantly across his arm, Shadow formed a Lightning Blade from his paw and dashed forward past the flying, bloody remains of the zombies that had been stricken by his lightning and viciously smashed the electrical blade into an Ethereal who had escaped from the mangled body of one of the soldiers it had possessed…

…

"AAIIIEEEEE!"

The Ethereal that stood bent back with Shadow behind recoiled, black smoke escaping from the massive cut that nearly tore it in half. Its scream grew weaker as it fell backwards, fading into a burst of purplish-black smoke that disappeared just a moment before it hit the blood-stained concrete, a single slab that remained intact around the rubble and bodies.

The scent of the dead hung heavy in the air, from the various Pokémon to the humans, in all their states of mutilation. The defining feature amongst them, from the numerous cuts to the twitching of electrified nerves, was the pool of scarlet coagulating under them like spilt paint.

(…*sigh*…)

(…heh…heh…heh…)

Shadow turned slowly, blood staining his own pelt to face the Pichu, standing just a foot from him, both sets of his blood-stained claws still crackling with dark electricity. The edge of his right ear was missing a part of the flesh, leaving a bloody notch that moved along with a sudden twitch. A mad smile still adorned his face under his glowing, bright green eyes.

(Zero...cool off.)

(Ha ha…ha ha ha…)

The Pikachu kept a calm façade even as Zero slowly lifted a set of his claws to his forehead, arm shuddering like it was going to strike out like a cobra. The tip of the center blade just barely pricked him, drawing a slow bead of blood.

(How was it like at first, Shadow…?)

(How was it like to be cursed before?)

(…I can say that I still haven't totally gotten used to it. You just learn to live with it. Eventually you just learn to control it. Of course, it was probably the same for you as it was for when I first went into it. We were both given this by Namba, right?)

A gust of wind blew through, carrying a wall of dust and smoke past them, standing silent like statues in the middle of the ruined street. Somewhere nearby, the buzzing of broken electrical wiring could be heard with the crackling of dying fires in the smoking husks of the structures to either side of the road.

(…You and me…we're…almost the same, aren't we…) Zero spoke in a near whisper, smile fading into a more serious look.

(…)

His claw shied away from Shadow's head by an inch. (We came from the same group…both just projects for them…both corrupted by them…both betrayed by them…)

(…It just got lonely after a while, too. But then, that's where things get different, isn't it?)

The sharp tip came forward once more, the shining in Zero's eyes fading away to show its natural color, glaring with resentment. (…Unlike you, I never found anyone to talk to, not even the squad I was in before I was taken to Kanto. In all honesty…I hated them. I was a freak even before I was brought back by Namba. For one, like you, I could talk. They hated me for it. They hated me for being so fast, they hated me because I have these claws…)

(On the other hand, you were just deadly on your own. The only strange quality about you that they could see was that you could speak. Your squad didn't truly hate you. I could tell the last time I spoke with your old squadmate Darrel that you two were on decent terms, at least. Then…you had…HAVE, Light…to keep you company.)

The bright green of his irises flared up for a moment. (Finally, Xepher managed to break you and her out of there and give you another life. What did I get? A hole punched through my chest by you…then an injection of dark energy from that fucker Namba.)

(What are you trying to say?) Shadow spoke, ignoring the point which hung precariously in front of his forehead. The Pichu's eyes narrowed before he slowly dropped his paw back to his side, claws withdrawing with it. Glaring at Shadow for a few more moments, Zero walked past him. Shadow turned as Zero continued on, stopping about fifteen yards away and hanging his head, a sigh audible from his unseen mouth. Zero silently looked back over his shoulder.

The Pikachu noticed that the glare in his eyes had become sad, pained.

(…I guess I'm just jealous.)

…

_*static*_

…

_*static* "Does anyone copy?" _

…

"_Who is this?"_

…

"_Misty, it's good to hear you." _

"_Ash? God, I've been worried sick about you...are you and Bolt okay?"_

"_We're fine, just a couple scratches. How's Cerulean holding up?" _

"_The barrier's still here, and we're getting a few refugees who managed to make it here. What they're telling us isn't good, though."_

"_I can tell, there's Ethereals everywhere. It's more than likely that they're killing everything in sight…the team and I have seen that a lot so far."_

"_Team?" _

"_Me, Bolt…Charizard, Bayleef, and Pidgeot."_

"_Oh, okay. Are you heading over here?" _

"_Not right now, sadly. We're trying to track down Shadow and Light right now." _

"_Any luck?" _

"_There are a few signs of Shadow going through the forest with another Pokémon that isn't Light. So far all I can tell is that they were headed towards Pewter City. From what I can see over the horizon, Pewter City's…probably a bonfire right now." _

"…_Are you…are you sure?" _

"_Yeah…Misty, I need you to get me in contact with Xepher. I need to know if he can still track where Shadow is." _

"_What about Light?" _

"…_Her tracks aren't with his, Misty. I can only hope that she's okay, wherever she is right now." _

"…_Okay. I'll get Xepher…good luck out there, Ash."_

"_Thanks. Hope to see you soon." _

"_Bye."_

_*static*_


	17. Chpt XVI: Psychosis

Chapter XVI: Psychosis

October 9, 2061 1:10 a.m.

_(No, we have to stay to help everyone else!) _

_(Raika, it's not safe here! We have to leave now!) _

_(We can't just-) (Do you honestly think we're going to have a better chance of living if we just stay here? Those…those THINGS don't have mercy! Regardless of if we leave or not everyone who stays behind is likely going to end up dead anyway!) _

_(Raisen, what about…what about our parents?)_

_(…I'm sorry Raika…but they've been dead for some time now. What we see in the old burrow…isn't really there, you know that. I'm sure they don't have to worry about being harmed…besides, I think they'd want us to run, the way things are now.)_

…

Somewhere, Shadow could hear another Pokémon screaming. A screech, an abominable sound broke the air along with the continued screaming, punctuated by pauses where it sounded like bones were being snapped. Another unearthly screech followed the near-inaudible sound of bone cracking and flesh ripping. A final distant scream filled the air before silence took the atmosphere once more. The sound did not make him jump, but it still did make a foreboding feeling invade his thoughts.

How many times had he heard something similar this night? Perhaps about five times now?

His tail stood erect with uneasiness, its lightning-bolt form unmoving. Behind him, his lone companion in this night slept, one of his triangular ears twitching in his slumber above his head. Despite the gut-wrenching sound that had just passed through, Zero continued to sleep next to the rough-barked trunk of one of the many trees in the forest.

A breeze swayed the light green blades of grass in waves resembling those of the sea. Shadow found his long ears swaying slightly with the wind, hearing a faint whistling sound from the wind hitting the inside of them. They perked up, a small gasp emerging from his lips.

He could've sworn he just heard…even if it was just a whisper…

At the very top of his field of vision, he could see what appeared to be a bright spark, floating gently down until it was in front of him, floating in front of him and giving off a light that managed to dully illuminate his face. Another whisper crossed his mind:

"_Shadow."_

…

_(Just keep going, don't look back.) _

_(Raisen they need or help!)_

_(Raika, they're too far gone, you know that.) _

_(…Fine.)_

_(What, you really think we can help them now? Sure, with their guts spilling out like that…)_

_(Wait up, what's that?) _

_(…Raisen, they don't look too…Oh dear God…)_

_(What…? How is that Arbok still…with its…)_

_(…Raisen, I think one of these demons is possessing its body.) (No wonder, otherwise he probably wouldn't be moving with its brains exposed like that…)_

…

Shadow looked down to his paw for a moment, slowly lifting it with its palm up, watching as the spark drifted down to float directly over his dull yellow fur. The tiny light expanded into a sphere in his palm, about the size of a marble. He blinked rapidly, eyes adjusting to the sudden brightness that pierced the night. Through squinted eyelids, he saw the sphere take on small appendages, first arms, legs, and a head with ears that curved back on its transparent white head. Bright, glowing eyes looked up at Shadow as a long tail with a lightning-bolt end flowed out from its tiny body. He now held a miniature, phantasmal Raichu in his paw.

His eyes widened slightly. (…Lightforce?) Shadow whispered, careful not to wake the Pichu that slept behind him. The Raichu seemed to disregard his words, her bright eyes occupied with staring up into his. _"…I'm so glad to see that you're okay, Shadow. Light was very worried about you." _

(She should be worrying more about herself right now...) He replied with a mix of worry and anger audible in his voice. (…Fucking Namba is probably torturing her in all sorts of ways right now, isn't he?)

The figure shook its head, the saddened droop in its eyes growing. _"Shadow, I'm afraid that it's worse than that."_

The worry and anger both rose, resulting in a mixed feeling of shock and the want to tear through the forest to kill Namba that instant. It was a struggle not to raise his voice. (Worse? What twisted idea of his is he trying out now?)

The spirit looked like she sighed in his paw then, pausing with her head bowed for a few moments before her eyes made contact with his again. _"Shadow, he's…he's ordered Light to hunt you down."_

His paw trembled under her. Being in a spirit form, she could feel the waves of emotion flowing off him, a chaotic flow of fear, disbelief, pain, worry, and rage. An uncanny stillness came after the trembling, and once again looking into his face to detect an emotion, she saw him looking blank, continuing to simply stare down at her with widened eyes and his mouth slightly ajar.

(What do you mean by, 'hunt me down?)

"_It's exactly like it sounds, Shadow. I have no idea where she is right now…but she's coming for you, and if she finds you then she will try to kill you."_

(Why would she kill me? There's no way she would follow that bastard Namba and come out just to kill me!) Shadow said, an anxious sweat building under his fur.

"_She has no choice, Shadow. The movements she makes are no longer her own, nor are the words she speaks. Namba has done something to her to make her follow every command he gives her." _Lightforce's voice said in his head, _"She's a prisoner in her own body, Shadow. She's being forced to watch her body betray her and do what Namba says, and he's ordered her to kill you. Not even her words aren't influenced by him…when she was first ordered to kill you…" _

Shadow could see the ghost in his paw bow its head, paws covering its face. Was she actually crying?

"…_She replied with, 'It will be done, master.'"_

(…)

(WHAT?) Shadow said, his whisper gone. He heard a rustling from the Pichu behind him, but continued on nonetheless, the rage rising from the mix of worry he held for his friend and boiling up. (She would never fucking say that! She's no one's slave, ESPECIALLY not Namba's!)

Zero groggily opened his eyes and mumbled to himself, blinking rapidly as a dry breeze went by. Distinctly, he could hear Shadow yelling a small distance in front of him. He rolled forward, glaring towards the Pikachu. He mumbled curses under his breath.

(Did I yell my head off guarding while YOU were sleeping, Shadow? No…)

Shaking his head, Zero raised himself onto two legs and slowly began to walk toward Shadow. He scratched at his left ear wearily, stopping as both of them perked up to a sound in the forest. A flash blinded every inch of Zero's vision for a moment, and in the following moment he saw a beam suddenly tear out through the forest.

…

…_No, I cannot doubt my actions now…_

_To end this…his pain…I will do…anything…! _

…

(Shadow, look out!)

(AAAUGH!)

White, crackling energy cut through the darkness under the trees and smashed into Shadow from his right. Zero watched, alarmed as the beam slammed Shadow through a tree's trunk in a shower of splinters and then into another behind it. As the first tree fell forward, raining twigs and leaves from its cracking structure, the second tree let go its own green leaves and sticks from its branches. Shadow lay in the trunk of the tree, his body screaming from the sudden, violent attack. He weakly reached out for the edge of the new hollow he was inside, grabbing the edge of the bark. Pulling himself out, his legs gave out as he was halfway out, making him tumble down…

Zero dashed, a blinding flash of yellow to Shadow's side after he fell from the hole, crumpled in the grass and leaves beneath it. Spasms racked the Pikachu, white static sparking up all over his fur with sprits of what looked like black fire coming up with it. Groaning, Shadow placed a paw forward in an attempt to rise up, but found his strength in the limb gone.

_What was…what was…that…?_

"…_She's here…"_

Zero spun with his claws ripping from his paws, facing the direction the attack had come from with an uncertainty running in his breaths. His ears perked, head slowly moving with his eyes to identify any figure that could've been hidden in the shadows. Dim moonlight illuminated his blades and the bright green of his irises.

(…Come out, come out wherever you are!) Zero yelled, teeth gritted with a faint grin appearing on his face. (I fucking dare you!)

Winds carried through once more, dulling the sounds of creaking branches and movement around Zero. Despite the interference, he could distinctly make out a scent nearby that easily gave away their attacker's location. Turning his eyes to his far left, he lowered himself and braced his arms over his chest, claws ready to strike. In the trees ahead, he could see a silhouette standing. (Gotcha.)

(Zero, wait!)

Zero forced back the urge to dash forward and quickly looked to the Pikachu who was forcing himself onto his feet, his claws still waiting behind him at the ready.

Despite the sudden spike of pain, Shadow quickly rose up from where he lay, looking out to his left while still on his front paws. He gave a quick shake of his head, rising onto his hind legs with his eyes peering forward into the night forest.

(…Light?)

The following moment went on for eternity in Shadow's mind. Faraway sounds like that of what sounded like an Ethereal attacking another Pokémon were deafened to his efforts to try to hear his friend in the dark. Closer to him were the sounds of his own breathing, Zero's breaths behind him, and his heart beating in his chest. Grass rustled ahead of him from behind a tree.

(Shadow…my dear, dear Shadow…)

Two scars could be seen under Light's white chest fur, dried blood staining a small portion under them. Smaller cuts could be seen across her entire form, like she had been thrown into a gigantic grater. The ears that should've stood perk were drooping with small notches in them, while her tail barely rose above a drag behind her. At her sides, her arms hung limply with obvious bloodstains coating her paws like she dipped them into a bucket of dark red paint. Even her eyes themselves seemed forlorn and tired, like she wanted to drop right there but couldn't. Under them, dark streaks dropped down her face like her tears had formed rivers.

. Shadow could see a leather collar with a small black box and a small 'R' dogtag wrapped around her neck.

(…Shadow, I'd be careful if I were you.) Zero spoke, cautiously walking up to the Pikachu's side with his claws still extended. (Namba wouldn't just let her go.)

Shadow glanced at Zero. (I know…)

The Pichu narrowed his eyes and raised his paws as Light's battered form drew towards them. A twitch ran up his body, one of his eyes giving off a brief flash of bright green. Zero bowed his head, his left hand withdrawing its claws as he put it to his face, giving off a low, frustrated growl.

_I…I really need to…learn to control this!_

(…Get ready for anything.)

Shadow nodded and faced Light once more, taking a few cautious steps towards his friend just as she walked with a lowered head towards him. Sounds around him died into nothing, just as many a chill ran through him. He knew it was her; it wasn't just her AntiReal trying to trick him, this was certainly her. Why did he feel so anxious?

He stopped in his tracks just as she did; her gaze still lowered away from him, towards the wavy, sea-like grass underneath them. Words came up into his mind, a continuous stream of questions and worries that his mouth refused to speak. It felt very dry so suddenly. Here she was, standing there as silent as he was, just as unmoving, yet he couldn't say a word to her.

(…You're…you're still alive…unharmed…Shadow…?)

She sounded like she was choking on her words, reminiscent of if she had just been crying. Each had come out shaky and full of sorrow. Once more Shadow could not find feeling in his legs to move closer to her, nor could he find his words.

(…I'm…glad that you're…that you're okay…) Her frail voice echoed to him once again.

_Say something!_

His long yellow ears drooped; the words he managed to get out dripped with remorse. (I'm…I'm sorry that I let you get taken, Light.)

(…Shadow…I'm afraid …)

_Forgive me, Shadow…_

(…I must kill you.)

…

Upon seeing Shadow stiffen up, Zero allowed himself a miniscule smirk. _I'd say you already killed his mood._

…_I did not just hear that._

Her words came out sincere and eerily soothing. The soft, warm stare she gave despite the apparent injuries riddling her form showed utter caring for the shocked Pikachu staring back at her with a slack jaw. (Please try to understand, Shadow. It's not that I hate you, far from it…I want to help you by doing this to you.)

(Light, how will killing me…how will that help anything? Do you even know what you're saying?) Shadow shouted back at her. Unfazed, she nodded back to him, silencing him once more. His ears turned down at flat angles from his head, like the cold, heavy feeling in his gut was chilling him outside. Meanwhile, Zero cautiously stepped up to Shadow's side, his claws still downturned.

Light regarded the Pichu with eyes that widened for but a moment, an almost invisible flash of white brightening her eyes in an instant. She reached with a paw to her head, shaking. Her chest rose and fell more rapidly than before in the silence that filled the space between the three as she bowed her head down. Sighing under her breath, Light turned her sad look back onto them.

(Listen to me; everything's just…fallen apart, Shadow. You've seen that by now, I'm sure. The Ethereal…they're everywhere. While I was finding you I came across many, too many, and they…)

Her voice cracked, one of her paws balling up. (…I saw them kill them, I saw them rip them and torture them…I saw them massacre each and every single one they came across …!)

(Light, it's okay, we can-)(NO! IT'S NOT OKAY, SHADOW!)

Breath caught in his throat, Shadow said nothing; even Zero looked taken aback as she continued on, fresh tears rolling down her face from her bloodshot eyes. (If you can't see the condition of the world we live in now, you're blind, completely and utterly blind! There was always smoke reaching into the sky from wherever battle we were in, there was always blood spilling all around us, as far as I can tell, there has always been war during our lives, Shadow! This…this is just the twisted hell it's all been leading up to!)

Somehow, her eyes were even more bloodshot than before. Droplets of her tears surrendered to gravity at her chin, falling in a crawl-like trickle to the grass. Silence gripped them all for many long, dreadful moments. In front of Shadow, he saw not the friend who had pulled out of Team Rocket, not the friend who consoled him in the forest, or the friend who had stood by his side even as they fought a chaotic battle against Marxus.

What he saw was a hollow shell, a hopeless and heartbreaking imitation of his dear, dear friend, a tortured, remorseful being wishing only to bring death in the twisted resolve to save those she would never truly wish to harm.

Light stared to the ground, drops of crystal splashing to the ground at her paws. (…Shadow…Zero…all we were given before was suffering…we lived no day where we haven't had to struggle in some way…and always, always we have had to fight for our lives…in a dying, bloodstained world…)

Her gaze lifted up towards him once more, the unnatural chill it gave him unsettling him even further. He said nothing; however, Zero seemed to find words instead.

(You're…you're fucking crazy. I'm with Shadow here…one, how the hell do you think you'll be benefiting us at all by killing us?)

(It will benefit…by allowing you both to escape from this…hell on Earth, this…this corrupted existence.) She replied, slowly lifting up and extending her battered paw to Shadow. A soft white glow emanated from it, her eyes squinting slightly. (…Please…let me be your savior…)

(…W-why…why would you even think of this?) Shadow whispered, his voice just as shaky as hers. He followed her glowing paw up to her face, her frown moving only slightly with her words, themselves a whisper like his own:

(…Because I love you, Shadow.)

…

A clock ticked slowly on top of an oak desk, the desk itself just a foot or so from the side of a bed where a man, his hair ruffled, slept with his glasses still on…

Suddenly, a gasp issued from his mouth as he bolted upright, his glasses thrown forward and onto the sheets he lay under as he gasped for breath, alarm and confusion visible on his face. He rubbed his forehead while his other hand searched frantically for his glasses. Finding a thin metal bar, he lifted it up and adjusted its position in his hand until he could feel the bottom of both lenses. Putting the glasses on, he took a quick look out the window, noting the clouds floating lazily by behind the tranparent blue dome that reached far beyond into the woods. A thin green treeline climbed into the slope of Mt. Moon far away, retreating before grasses continued up until they yielded to rocks whose jagged forms could not be made out from where he was.

Xepher exhaled and sadly looked out to the bustle of the streets, now filled to the brim with both refugees in mixes of tattered and baggy clothing, and soldiers in their deep blue flak jackets, some faded more than others with parts torn from the fabric to show the metal linings and padding underneath.

"…I'm up so I might as well get back to work…" Xepher muttered, turning around and walking to the desk, pulling out the wooden chair tucked under it and taking a seat. He adjusted his glasses while his left hand flipped open his laptop. Within a minute, he was looking at a complex diagram on the screen, filled with small mathematical equations and other text. What stood out in the design was a small page detailing what was suggested to be old text of some sort, as if from some forgotten civilization. Footnotes littered the text, linking to individual parts of a strange weapon on the screen.

"This thing better work…"

Looking it over, he began to type in further calculations in another window of the computer. Once again, he found himself engrossing himself in the work, putting his attention again to the variables and theories that may put a stop to the crisis outside the city.

All he had heard from the outside so far was bad news. After escaping from the burning, bloodstained husk of Viridian City, that was almost all he had been hearing from the outside world. If he were to look up towards the sky right now, he would be able to see plumes of smoke that had floated north from Saffron, and if he looked out from the highest building in the city, he guessed he might be able to see the dim glow of an inferno far, far away in the forest to the west.

His fingers froze on the keyboard, his hair hanging down past his sullen eyes and over his glasses. Xepher looked to the clock at the bottom corner of his screen; it read 1:52 a.m. _Even now, time's still going. We…we're running out of time. I'm running out of time. It's only a matter of that time until the barrier fails or we all starve. Cerulean doesn't have the resources to keep us all maintained…_

That truth was growing more and more apparent every day. With the city full to bursting, he estimated that food supplies themselves would like only last for a month at most. The inhabitants of Cerulean were quickly, and irreversibly, running out of time.

…_I need to make the most of the time I have left. To start off…I should explain myself. Hiding the truth won't change it._

Xepher clicked away from the project on the screen, saving it quickly before going to his computer's webcam. The doctor opened the options and, drawing a breath to prepare himself, clicked on 'record'.

…

_(Raisen!) (I'm fine, keep going!) (Raisen, look out!) (Huh, what the-AAAH! AAAAUGH!) (RAISEN!)_

…

(Die with me.)

Her arm flew out in front of her with white aura rapidly exploding from it, striking out towards Shadow. As soon as he had jumped away from the attack, however, the aura suddenly redirected and swept towards him like a tidal wave. Her free paw was erect over her head, forming a protective transparent-white dome around her.

_I want to save you, nothing more. _

Zero hung back, narrowing his eyes at the top of Light's paw, panning down her body within the dome while she stayed transfixed on Shadow. He let his claws retract into his paws, knowing that dealing any mortal damage against Light might just incite Shadow's wrath, and he knew how that went for him last time.

The Pikachu slid to a stop as the massive tendril of white energy retracted back to her, only to tense up once more as she stepped forward, raising her paw with a surprisingly eerie glow of energy upon it…

The Pichu shot away like a bullet, the blast from her paw ripping through the air and obliterating the ground he had been standing upon. The reflex to go at her was processed by his body faster than his mind, after so much time of doing so in the past. For a moment, he almost forgot not to use his blades.

Zero smirked at the feeling of his balled-up paw smacking her across the face. He jumped back for a brief moment as she recoiled, immediately accelerating towards her again as soon as his paws brushed against the ground.

(Here, I'll knock some sense into you!)

The space around her went dark. She stood silently, her eyes glowing as brief pulses of her energy emanated from her. Though Light's body remained still, she was still able to see all around herself, from the frozen image of Shadow leaping between two scizzoring strikes of her power with his eyes still locked upon her to the Pichu who was now only a foot or two from her, his left paw raised to deal another blow against her. Concentrating, she mentally prepared her next move…

Something was again nagging at the back of her mind. Again, voices of her doubts came with reasons to stop her attack on them; for what reason, she didn't know.

This was the only way she could save them.

The only way to free Shadow from this wretched life.

In the brief instant between Zero's paw striking at her once again, her left paw flew up towards him, her look firm. (Still, child.)

White energy shot from her paw and instantly wove into a bubble around him. The bubble, with Zero frozen in place within, floated up above the ground, connected to light's paw by a thin rope of white energy. Within the sphere, tendrils of white spread in towards his body, latching themselves at his hind legs and his front legs, along with the base of his back and the rear of his head. While Shadow rolled to a stop nearby from her last attack before, he saw Zero in the bubble and heard her mutter under her breath.

(Marionette Formation)

Zero's head shot up straight ahead, the confident look on his features vanished. His mouth went agape and his eyes went wide in terror for a brief moment, as if he were about to scream within the bubble...

_Get off me! Leave me alone!_

A moment later his eyes glazed over white, like the inside of his head were an expansive bright void.

_AAAAAAHHH! _

As his mouth shut, the bubble he was inside burst while the strings of energy that had attached with him remained, joining the single white beam that connected back to Light's open paw.

_I can't be doing this…_

_I have no choice._

Shadow tensed up as Zero jerked his arm up in front of himself like a loosely-controlled puppet, his claws shooting out from the ends of his paws. The blank stare that the possessed Pichu gave Shadow only further served to disturb him.

(Marionette Dance)

She flicked her paw, the beam connecting it to the tethers on Zero rippling briefly like a wave in the ocean. Almost instantly, Shadow found himself nearly getting gutted.

Sharp slashing sounds cut the air like the Pichu's extended claws. Each instant the sound repeated and repeated, the sounds of the metallic talons joining into a string of different pitches of whizzes. A claw nearly tore open Shadow's right ear as he slid forward and kicked Zero's hind legs out from under him. Even then, Shadow reflexively surged electricity out in front of himself as Zero passed over, his own cheeks alight with what little electricity he had as a Pichu.

_Light!_

Shadow slid forward, spinning onto all fours and dashing to where Light stood, the white beam still held out in front of her by her paw. But she seemed to pay him no attention, her sullen, half-lidded eyes zipping back to the other side of him along with her paw.

Shadow slid to a stop while simultaneously raising his paws to his sides, an electrical field instantly zapping around him at the same time that Zero's paws smashed into it.

(…)

Zero made no audible sounds aside from his breathing, his eyes whited over while he continued to pummel Shadow's electrical barrier with rapid and unrelenting strikes of his claws. Wisps of smoke trailed off the barrier, leaving an acrid scent as his strikes kept on, mute even while shadow began to notice blood spearing against his paws. The skin behind his claws was beginning to be burnt right off from the power of Shadow's barrier.

(Light, stop! You're going to make him burn his fucking paws off!) Shadow yelled, almost pleading.

Light blinked slowly.

Zero's claws ripped viciously into the shield once more before another wave travelled the length of the beam to Zero. He jumped back with the motion of her paw, landing on all four and standing back up in front of her, raising one of his bloody paws up with the claws pointing at Shadow. Cautiously, Shadow lowered his paws, a warning expression upon his features.

The Raichu blinked slowly again, sullen eyes travelling over Zero's bleeding paws. She flexed the paw connecting a beam to Zero again, this a time a short pulse going through the ethereal rope. Short white pulses briefly lit up Zero, silent as the burnt and tattered flesh around his claws quickly grew back into place. One of his triangular ears twitched.

They stood silently. Shadow stared longingly into the unreadable depths of his friend's eyes, trying to find some sliver of the friend he knew left.

(…)

"_Shadow," _came the voice of Lightforce in his head, _"I fear for the safety of that Pichu…Zero, was it?" _

_Yeah, I know. I still don't trust him much though._

"_That wouldn't make an excuse for if she caused him to kill himself."_

_I know that. What's making her act this way though?_

(This is your last chance, Shadow.)

Light spoke even as her paw flexed to further manipulate the puppet she had made out of Zero, the dark circles under her eyes seeming to have darkened even further. A sharp metal sound reverberated through the air. Lowering his head a bit, Shadow followed Zero, his claws retracted, as he got back onto all of his paws. (Please…I don't want to make this any more painful than it has to be. Just surrender yourself.)

"_Remember, it's not really her saying that."_

_I know. _

"_It's the collar. Get that collar off her neck; I'm sure that's what that madman was using to control her."_

_Got it…Namba isn't taking her from me._

(…No, Light. You may have given up, but I haven't.)

Both of her ears fell. A short sniffle emerged from her mouth as fresh tears formed under her eyes.

She closed her eyes for a brief moment, and as they opened again they were narrowed with despair and anger. The beam to Zero pulsed again, forcing him up onto his hind legs again with his claws extended. She wiped the wetness from her eyes with her free arm, glaring back at Shadow.

(...Fine.)

…

_(What's the matter? You look frightened to see me.)_

_(Get away from us, demon! Why don't you and your monster friends go back to hell where you belong!)_

_(…Back to hell…where I belong…)_

_(Where else? You certainly don't deserve the higher plane, you freak!)_

_(Heh, you have no idea where I belong. I feel like I belong nowhere now. After all, I'm dead, aren't I? Not like you would care. The only things you had managed to hold onto were Raisen, Bolt, and those simple little mirages of Blitz and Electra in the old burrow.)_

_(They are no simple mirages! They are my parents, real or not! I don't know how or why, but they are there, and I will not let you insult their memory like this!)_

_(…Their memory…funny…memories…you care a lot about them don't you. You care a lot about your twin and your older brother, too…)_

_(Of course, you forgot about me. Just like when I was still around, just like you always have. )_

_(…What do you mean?)_

_(Do I have to spell it out for you, Raika? What else could I mean! Do you know what it's like to be completely forgotten by the world for nearly ten years? Do you know what it's like to be isolated for so long, you eventually just snap? No, you don't…because you didn't have to sacrifice everything. Because unlike me, you and Raisen decided to run away that day, just like Bolt told you to…)_

_(…You decided to run like cowards, just like OUR dear brother Bolt said to do, rather than help them that day. I'm sure you know how that turned out…you know how that turned out for Blitz and Electra.)_

_(…you…you can't be…!)_

_(Guess what? I am. And you know what? I'd like to show you what it's like to be lost in the dark. Let me give you taste of the insanity I now embrace...It's the best I have to offer you right now…)_

_(Sister!)_

_..._


End file.
